by Michelle Lynne Smith

Created on: January 17, 2010   Last Updated: January 19, 2010

Retirement can be a time for people to finally relax, spend more time with family and make new friends, but there is another side to it. For some, the time spent alone can lead to feelings of depression and can hasten the onset of illnesses like Alzheimer’s Disease. But it doesn’t have to be. Retirement can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling times in someone’s life.

Ifyou live near family, retirement can be the perfect opportunity to spend more time with them. You now have all the time you used to spend at work to do things like go to piano recitals and basketball games, or bake cookies with your kids and grandkids one weekend. While you don’t want to feel like you’re wearing out your welcome or becoming too dependent on them, your family can be a great source of enjoyment during your golden years.

This can also be a great time to strike up new friendships. What better way to cure boredom or loneliness than going bowling or playing a round of golf with a new friend? It’s great if you still keep in touch with old coworkers, but these friendships might eventually fade the longer you’re out of the office loop. Even if they don’t, it’s still a great idea to broaden your horizons and develop friendships that fit into your new life.

Retirement can be a great time to develop a new hobby or rediscover an old one. There is an endless list of possibilities to choose from, so try whatever catches your interest. If you wake up one morning and decide it’s the perfect time to give building model airplanes a try, then why not? Or maybe you always wanted to plant a garden in the backyard but never seemed to have the time. Now you do, so why not take advantage of it and have the best looking backyard in the neighborhood?

One of the biggest problems people face with retirement is the feeling of no longer being a productive member of society, which can bring on feelings of isolation and depression. One of the best ways to cure this, and to help others at the same time is to volunteer. It doesn’t really matter what you do, as long as you feel better about yourself and you’re helping someone else. There are soup kitchens, women’s shelters, or orphanages, just to name a few. If you love animals, then there is probably an animal shelter in your area that could really use your help. If you are no longer able to do much physical activity, these places always need people to answer phones or organize collection drives. Not only are you getting out and helping others, but it’s also a great way to meet other people and stay connected to the world.

As you can see, retirement doesn’t have to mean a life of sitting at home all day watching television. There are plenty of things to do, and now you finally have time to enjoy them. So get out and see what the world is like outside of the office, and you may just have the best time of your life.

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