The New Retirement. Jan Cullinane

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       Move. I took up tennis in my late 40s, and quickly became a huge devotee. It checks off a lot of what I like – exercise, social support, friendly competition, structure, and enjoying nature (I live in Florida, so it's outside play year-round). Tennis has led to many warm and lasting friendships (and lunches!). If you're looking for something a bit easier on the joints, consider pickleball, which is the fastest-growing sport in America, according to The Economist.If racquet sports aren't your thing, perhaps join a gym (consider a few sessions with a personal trainer to get you on the right track), golf, bowling (a group from our community bowls weekly, with dinner afterward), belly dancing/ballroom/square/swing/line dancing (some studios provide a partner for you if you need one), and swimming and biking (easy on the joints). Snowboarding is so popular among older adults they are called “grays on trays.” Plant a garden. Climb a mountain. Try a SUP (stand-up paddleboard). Of course, there is always walking, which is easy, free, and can be social or solitary. And, if you have a dog, he/she will love it.

       Think. Join or start a book club – with your neighbors, through your local library, or online (check out www.goodreads.com for lots of suggestions). Linda and her husband Pete started a couples' book club in their new neighborhood by mailing an invitation to their neighbors (they didn't know all their names, so just a “Hello Neighbor” and an invite to come to their home on a specific date/time with the book selection included). It was the beginning of a decades-long book club, and decades-long friendships. Or, organize a monthly game night – Euchre, Train Dominoes, Bunco, Pictionary, Mahjong, and so forth. Strengthen your brain by learning a new language or instrument. Do crossword puzzles (I love the free online daily mini-crossword from the New York Times), Sudoku, acrostics, “Words with Friends,” and jigsaw puzzles. Try an “escape room” – work as a team to escape a locked room within an hour by solving clues and puzzles. Addictive and mind stretching.

       “Be Curious, Not Judgmental.” Although this phrase is attributed to the poet Walt Whitman, according to Snopes (a fact-checking site), this is not Whitman's quote. However, if you watch/watched the miniseries Ted Lasso, “Be curious, not judgmental” is how the main character approaches life. Ted asks questions; he doesn't jump to conclusions; he's open; he doesn't assume; he explores all possibilities; he doesn't make snap decisions. This fictional character and this phrase are great models for making the most of retirement.The benefits of being curious are backed by science. A 2013 study in Psychological Science found that improved memory was found only in those who engaged in activities that were “unfamiliar and mentally challenging, and that provide broad stimulation mentally and socially.” Examples included quilting and digital photography. The lead researcher in this study, Denise Parks, said this about keeping our minds sharp: “When you are inside your comfort zone you may be outside of the enhancement zone.” Push yourself to do things outside of your wheelhouse.

       Create. Indulge your inner chef, if you're so inclined, or take up painting or sculpting or photography. Perhaps consider community or local theater. Helene G. performed in the musicals The King and I and South Pacific at Leisure World, an active adult community in Silver Spring Maryland, as well as in a performance of Our Town. (If you have stage fright, you can always work behind the scenes.) Or, sing at your place of worship; St. Augustine said, “To sing is to pray twice.”

       Family. A study by Age Wave/Merrill Lynch found that retirees ranked staying healthy, improving health, and relaxing at the top of their “Everyday Leisure Priorities” list, followed by family connections. Certainly “family connections” can fill lots of hours. But what does that phrase mean to you? Living a short distance from children/sibs/aging parents? Staying in touch via technology? Frequent in-person visits? Following your adult kids if they move? Having a second home near adult children/parents? Acting as a full-time sitter for your grandchildren while their parents work? Moving closer to your kids when you're elderly and need help? This is an important area to consider and discuss, particularly if you're part of a couple – are you both on the same page? To find out, take the survey, “Retire Close to Family … Or Not Too Close!” from TopRetirements.com at the end of Chapter 4, What and Where Is Home?

       Travel. Travel is usually close to the top of the list of “wants” in retirement. No surprise – there's a big and exciting world out there to explore, and retirement provides the time (and hopefully the money – more on that in Chapters 8, 9, and 10). One of Rosemary and Ed G.'s retirement goals (Rosemary was a high school counselor and Ed is a retired CPA) was to visit every continent. It took 12 years to accomplish, but they did.