It’s good try try something new, no matter how old you are!
I’m 63, having a blast with my new ‘career’ and I feel really good about what I’m doing. Three years ago I retired from the ‘day job’ and haven’t looked back. I’m more engaged and excited about what I’m doing than I’ve been in years. I’ve learned so much, met so many super people, and realized that I can successfully explore my passions, even at my age.
Being positive and looking forward to each new day as always been my outlook on life. It got me through cancer, the death of my parents, divorces/breakups not to mention being out of work and almost penniless at one point. My positive attitude also helped make my move to Thailand a smooth transition when I retired. I’d always told myself I would retire on a tropical island, and I did!
Use your passions!
I’ve always loved to write and have loved cats since first saw one. Giving back and helping others is something I really believe in. I looked around and saw such unhappiness, depression and a pessimistic outlook on life from so many my age, that I decided to combine my passions and help them. The Happy Cat is dedicated to Boomers staying positive, making good life choices and finding happiness each and every day as they journey through life.
At 61 I started my Happy Cat Blog Website; at 62 I started a uTube channel for video taken here on Koh Lanta, the island I’m proud to call my home, and at 63, I started an online shop to go with my Website. The shop features cat-themed products from Thailand. What could be better than a cat-themed shop for someone like me!
And I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve done it all myself; the planning, the strategy, the technical side, and all the promotional marketing. And I don’t find it stressful at all. I feel great, confident in my new career, and more importantly, I’m having a blast!
5 reasons why trying something new is good for us
1 – Provides an excellent way to exercise our brain
Doing something different means that we’ll be learning new things. Brain exercise is important as we get older. The brain is like a muscle, if it isn’t used, it gets weak.
2 – Keeps us involved in the present
Whether ‘something new’ is a new sport, hobby, place to live, or a new business, the act of making a change keep us involved in the present, in the here and now. Often, when life gets b
oring, we can reminisce about our lives and focus on the past. We seem to take comfort remembering where we used to work, and live, and have wonderful memories of those no longer with us. While we all have these thoughts, we have to be careful that they don’t take up the majority of our time. It is easy to slip into our memories, ignoring the present, when it is the present that we live in. A new situation keeps us engaged with living in the present.
3 – Gives us an opportunity to interact with new people
Trying something new is an excellent way to meet new people. Loneliness can be difficult as we get older. Our circle of friends and family seems to continually shrink and it is hard to meet new people. But starting something new provides us with a super opportunity to meet new people with similar and complimentary interests.
4 – Provides a way to find new interests and make our lives more interesting
So many of us get so wrapped up in our lives with our jobs and families, that we never try activities or hobbies. We always say, one day I’ll do this or that. Well, now is the time. New interests make our lives more interesting, and this helps us nurture a positive attitude for looking forward to each new day.
5 – Requires us to get involved with our financial situation
The majority of us are no longer accumulating, we are spending, downsizing and often worrying about our spending. This isn’t a bad thing. We need to often review and analyze our financial situation. It is important to know what we have, what can we do, and what could be done to free up some funds for our new interests. It also gives us a feeling of satisfaction that we figured it out. We gain a sense of autonomy, as we are doing it ourselves. We feel strong and in control of our lives.
Try it you may like it! A friend of mine is always saying ‘never try, never know’, and she’s right. It’s fun and exciting to try something new. And if you find you don’t like it, well, you can always try something else.
It’s all good!
This article was first published in Sixty and Me. Click HERE to access this article on the Sixty and Me Website.