Rest and relaxation are likely the first two words that come to mind when you think about retirement living. Afterall, traveling and spending more time with family are some of the most enjoyable perks of retirement. While these are certainly worthy rewards, engaging in influential personal activities can also lead to a more fulfilling and happier retirement. Therefore, looking beyond the standard post-retirement activities, here are five influential ways to live your best life after retirement.
Learn Something New
Whether taking online masterclass workshops, courses at a college campus, or a language immersion program, learning something new can be an invigorating way to spend time after retirement. Besides, it’s never too late to perfect your cooking, acquire another degree, or learn a new language, right? Not only will you develop new skills, but constant mental stimulation is a proven way to keep aging minds sharp. No matter what method or subject you choose, the willingness to learn something new is always inspiring.
Offer Your Expertise
Even after retirement, your career experiences and expertise are as valuable as they were in the workplace. So, why not transfer them to a need in progress? Lending your leadership to activity clubs or or helping others find retirement hobbies are productive ways to share your knowledge while having fun. Likewise, by volunteering for nonprofits, museums, and other associations, you’ll provide valuable skills and needed resources to vital community organizations. And since there are approximately 1.5 million nonprofits registered in the United States, your volunteer options will be numerous. Although, before agreeing to serve on an organization’s standing committees or board of directors, make sure you are well prepared. Giving back by providing expertise is one of the most rewarding and influential ways to live your best life after retirement.
Start a Side Hustle
You can always combine your expertise and desire to learn something new by starting a side hustle in retirement. Even though the term is a relatively new one, the concept is not. Contracting your services on the side can both keep you active and in control of your time after retirement. Furthermore, as more employers continue to embrace this business model, more retirees seem to be interested in the idea. According to a study released by Prudential in 2019, retirees made up 13% of contract workers in the United State. Likewise, there’s never been an easier time to convert your favorite hobby into sales using an online store platform. Launching a virtual store is quick and requires significantly less resources than a brick and mortar to manage.
Empower Someone Else
If standing meetings and deadlines are absolutely not for you anymore, you may want to volunteer as a mentor instead. Guiding someone through a new career path or a difficult time in their life can be rewarding work. If supporting entrepreneurship is your passion, you can volunteer as a business mentor with business resource organizations such as SCORE. But, if you’d rather encourage students, be sure to contact your local schools for a list of reputable mentoring programs. Furthermore, don’t forget about the various ways you can mentor children within the foster care system. Mentoring someone can be one of the most encouraging and rewarding use of your time after retirement.
Document Your Life
Finally, one of the most influential ways to live your best life after retirement is to make sure your life story is available for future generations. Preserving your family’s history by allowing them to read or hear about your life in your own words is an exciting way to spend of your time after retirement. With so many research tools available today, you can start your documentation process by using timesaving online resources. And library trips to search archives can provide information and travel opportunities at the same time. If you are more creative, start a fun keepsake project with the entire family like this one. This project can be as unique as you. From simply writing everything down, to producing audio and video recordings, there are numerous ways to chronicle your life.