Senior to Senior: A Hobby

Stuck indoors again. What’s a senior to do? Empty nest, retirement, and health issues may be limiting your world as we speak. Heat, air quality, transportation, and decreased mobility all combine to keep you separated from family, friends, and even neighbors. Enforced isolation is okay for a day or two, a week or two, even a month but you must admit that things aren’t looking too promising. I know, even the tidiest person in the world can only spend so much time decluttering, cleaning, or writing letters. What you really need to think about is finding something to do that will keep you from going crazy. Remember the art class that you enjoyed in high school? The exercise videos that you bought, or the dozens of do-it-yourself projects that you started. Someday, you always said, when you had “time.” Well, that “someday” is here, and “time” isn’t all it is cracked up to be, and that too much is almost as bad as not enough. What to do? Now might be a good time to do some research. Think abouts joining the world of meaningful hobbies. There’s nothing like a good project to give you a certain sense of satisfaction. A hobby can help you develop new skills, cope with stress, and keep your brain healthy. Just like your old job, but better, and it can keep you from developing bad habits and wasting your time. You can work independently or share your trials and tribulation with others. Whether you join an on-line group, find a club at your senior center, or work alone is up to you. There are dozens of potential hobbies from which to choose. The main categories include adventure, art, crafts, collectibles, games and do-it-yourself projects. A hobby may be as simple as welcoming a new pet into your home, learning a new skill, or researching your family tree. Take your time and do some research. Daydream a little. Surely something will grab you. Keep in mind that your first pick doesn’t have to be “the one.” Give yourself a break, but most of all, put that enforced isolation, better known as “free time,” to work.