It’s a new year. All the excitement of the holidays are over. Perhaps it was the first time you were able to see family in months due to the pandemic. Or maybe you were able to travel to a safe destination with friends. Whatever the circumstances, it’s over now and life is settling back into the normal routine. As the cooler winter days continue, consider some ways that you can stay happy and motivated in this new year. The fun and excitement of the holidays don’t need to end now – in fact, a bright new year is just beginning.
Tap into your resources. You don’t have to look far to create a full life. If you live in a senior community, you’ll have everything at your fingertips. Let’s take a look.
Go Social. If you are an extravert or introvert, it doesn’t matter. Surrounding yourself with people even just a few times a week can enrich your life greatly. You’ll find that you can exchange ideas, inspire each other, and maybe even find a source of security. Since you and your neighbors share a common outlook in life and are likely in the same stage of life as well – in retirement, you’ll be able to relate with each other and share your lives in a much deeper way. As you make friends, you won’t ever have to fear waiting for the holidays to see loved ones. Family will always be your number one priority – but friends can become a huge part of your life as well! The advantage of having neighbors as friends means you’ll always be just steps away from sharing your lives together. Find your community’s schedule of social opportunities and have some fun.
Events
One way to get involved in your community is to participate in events. Check out your community’s event calendar and plan on attending one event a week. Or, even a couple a month to get started. You’ll begin meeting the same neighbors and begin to form a network of friends. You’ll learn more about your community too. Perhaps there are clubs or coffee hours that you don’t even know about. Even if you don’t connect with others right away, you’ll be able to enjoy the special events and eventually you may find yourself in a circle of just the right people who share similar interests.
Special Interest Groups. Look for a group where you can learn and grow. If you love to travel for example, you might look for a circle of people who love to plan and give each other tips for navigating the world. After you find inspiration for your next trip and destination, you and your group could find some documentaries on your chosen country or city. Mix up history, culture and current events and invite each other over for a cultural evening. In addition, you could add learning a foreign language to your list of weekly activities and then practice your language skills with a friend from your group. Download a Rosetta Stone App to your iPad in the language of your choice, and challenge each other to keep motivated. Or, if art is your passion, you can either find a like minded group of artists, or get creative on your own. Art is a great way to experience outdoor landscapes or beautiful objects such as flowers or unique structures. This is a hobby that can be enjoyed even when social distancing or other health concerns come into play. Whatever makes your heart beat, put some effort into the new year to keep this passion alive and build on it. And be sure to take advantage of the special interest groups in your community. Retirement gives you the time you need to enjoy life to the fullest.
Get Moving. One of the advantages of living in a senior community can be having a selection of exercise classes and gyms within a few steps of your home. A Life Plan community offers a wide range of opportunities for everyone, whether you live independently or require assisted living or nursing home supportive care. This new year, make it a goal to stay active and participate in a class to stay in shape and have fun with others. It’s a great benefit to have this available to you without even having to commute across town – your health and wellness center is often right in your own senior community. The activities are geared towards your stage in life. Make sure to get involved!
Continuing education. Some senior communities offer education classes you can participate in. these classes are designed to keep your mind active and engaged. They can also help you achieve the goals you would like to accomplish this year. Retirement offers you all the time to engage in learning activities and life goals that you never had before – take advantage and find out what your community has to offer in terms of adult learning.
Your senior community has so much to offer to help you live a full and enriched life. Get a community schedule for the month and look over it to get some inspiration. You won’t be disappointed! And next time you go to dinner at one of the restaurants provided in your neighborhood, try joining some others at the table and strike up some conversation. Celebrate neighbors connecting in 2022 right here in Rio Rancho, New Mexico!
The events offered at an independent living community are one of the biggest attractions! Almost anything you could want to do is available and all you have to do is show up and have fun! Getting involved is super simple and everyone always has a great time.
Thank you for your wonderful comment, Amy! We appreciate hearing from you.