We are please to share another guest article by Kent Elliot.
Just like the band Three Dog Night once crooned, “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.” To be fair, there’s nothing wrong with being an independent person, but it’s also good for you to have areas in your life where you can be social, especially in your senior years. Of course, making new friends is sometimes easier said than done, and it often feels like the older we get, the harder it becomes to make new buddies.
If making friends seems like an impossibility to you, then perhaps all you need is to find a new hobby. Check out these ideas from Seniors Helping Seniors:
Sign Up for a Class – If you’re not sure what it is you want to do, then maybe the first step you should take is signing up for a class to learn your new hobby. There are so many different kinds of classes that are offered through churches, community centers and even online, and many of them are designed with seniors in mind. There are classes that can teach you how to dance, how to cook, how to speak a new language or how to draw. There’s really no limit to what you can learn. Through these classes, you will meet other people who share your same interests.
Learn to Play an Instrument – If you enjoy playing music, then maybe it’s time to grab the old guitar from the closet, dust it off and start playing again. Playing music engages your mind, your eye-hand coordination and attracts other people like a magnet, as TakeLessons explains. Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you can perform at your community center, church or family gatherings (the grandkids will love singing along with you). As a bonus, playing and singing music will help keep your brain sharp, and may even ward off degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Volunteer Work – Nothing is better than the feeling you get when you help others. Volunteer work has been a pastime that’s filled many lives with meaning and purpose. You can achieve a lot of good by dedicating a slice of your time to make the lives of others a million times better. Volunteer work will introduce you to people from many different walks of life, opening you to new stories, experiences, and friendships.
Outdoor Activities – If you like being outside, then hobbies such as horseback riding, golf, or gardening might be perfect for you. While you can certainly do all of these activities on your own, joining a group of other enthusiasts will add a social element to your pursuit. Do you already enjoy an outdoor pastime that you’d like to share with others? Reach out to your community to invite others to join you. The bulletin boards at your church, community center or senior center are great places to start.
Don’t Stop There – While any of these ideas allows you to have fun and meet new people, they also provide another benefit: money making. If your retirement income feels a bit thin, consider boosting it with your new pastime. You can make money with virtually any skill these days, whether you become the teacher to a novice enthusiast or sell your goods online. Just remember to cover your bases by choosing a legal structure. With personal protection in mind, many hobby businesses form an LLC. This can be a little bit complicated, so you might want to either hire an attorney or use an online service to form your Michigan LLC.
Everyone has a passion, and the best part is that you don’t have to do it alone. Starting a new or picking back up an old hobby could be the nudge you need to meet new people and make new friends, which is as important in our older years as it was in our younger years. Find out what your passion is, and get out there and share it with others.
Connect with Seniors Helping Seniors for more tips on making the most of your daily life.
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