Fighting Loneliness In Retirement
Is A Challenge For Many
It’s very sad that many people reach their golden years alone. Fighting loneliness in retirement is more common than you may think and many people who lose a spouse or partner can tell you that the effect is devastating. It can have lasting effects on your health as well. Your mental outlook has a tremendous impact on your physical being so the importance of maintaining a healthy emotional state cannot be over emphasized.
For anyone experiencing this sense of loneliness, our first piece of advice is to get professional help. Depression is something that needs to be taken seriously. But, having said that, there are certain steps you can take in your battle of fighting loneliness in retirement. And the great news is that it does not have to cost a lot of money. Even better, there are more people than you think who share your burden and are very happy to help you. The first step, however, is that you need to help yourself.
You should begin by looking for ways to fill your time with something that you are interested in. While it may seem trivial, a hobby or a passion can make the hours go by very quickly. I know someone who absolutely loves stamp collecting and they can spend hours by themselves going over their collection and researching the latest news in this very popular hobby. I could never imagine that, but many people have found collecting stamps, coins or baseball cards to be an almost all-consuming hobby that is a great first step in fighting loneliness in retirement.
Fighting Loneliness In Retirement Has Helped Create
A New Generation Of "Athletes"
But we need to acknowledge that we are all social creatures and the social interaction with others is a healthy and wonderful experience. Everyone needs to have friends whether they realize it or not. Clubs and activities focused on a hobby or sport is a great way to meet new people and make new friends. Groups that go on trips to a play or sporting events are a wonderful way to start expanding your social circle. With just a few added activities you’ll be surprised by how your social calendar begins to fill in. As we entered our retirement years and relocated a couple of hundred miles from our old home, I was somewhat worried that my wife would miss her friends and regret our decision to move. Even worse, we moved at the start of the pandemic so there was no social interaction at all. She filled her time with a new hobby which was something she always wanted to do: woodworking. She not only loves it, but she’s very good at it! She also took up gardening and grew some wonderful fresh herbs and tomatoes that we used in our kitchen since restaurants were closed. She was fighting loneliness off in retirement and didn’t even know it.
As things started to open up, she discovered a card group, a garden club and was then introduced to the world of mahjong. That seemed almost like a cult to me, but she loved it and always looks forward to her session on Fridays. There are now about eighteen ladies who get together to play this tile game that seems to hold an endless fascination for them. I prefer to spend my time reading all the books I never had the time to get to when I was working. I am very fortunate to have the greatest wife in the world and am the type of person who doesn’t need to have a lot of friends. Fighting loneliness in retirement was never something I’ve had to do, and I am very thankful for that. But I am very sensitive to those who need full days and calendars to maintain a healthy outlook on life. This website was created to help people make the most of their retirement years, so I invite you to explore it fully to get ideas on how to spend your time and get you to be a full participant in life no matter how old you are or what your situation is. This world is too wonderful not to experience fully.
Whether you are looking for new interests or want to meet new friends, I believe the secret to happiness is to know what actually makes you happy! It sounds obvious but there are so many people who don’t look for new things to try or different places to visit. You’ll find that it is usually the simple things that bring joy: mountains, a lake or a beautiful garden. When it comes right down to it, people are the same everywhere. They’re looking for the same things to make them happy. Sometimes it’s a matter of appreciating the simple things in life and being grateful for what you have rather than focusing on what you don’t. Fighting loneliness in retirement can be as simple as deciding to live your life to the fullest no matter what comes your way. It's time to Enjoy Retired Life!
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