1. Become a "Social Butterfly"
- Be aware your social schedule and relationships may dramatically change in retirement
- Experts have shown that active retired persons are much healthier and live longer than those who live a more isolated lifestyle
- Access your passions and find groups and organizations that interest you (travel groups, book clubs, garden clubs, exercise classes, etc.)
- Turn your passion into a second career (20% of men and 12% of women continue to work past 65)
- Work in the service of others by volunteering (examples: National Senior Service Corps, Foster Grandparent Program, Senior Companion Program)
- Create your own "bucket list" (things you want to accomplish before you kick the bucket). Example: learn a new language, and if possible, travel to a country where you can try it out. Another example -- Trisha is a great cook, but has never learned to cook Chinese food. She recently asked
the chef at her favorite restaurant to let her work in the kitchen as an apprentice.
- Challenge yourself with physically active goals such as learning to dance or swim (they keep both the
mind and body fit at the same time)
- Learning to play a musical instrument is an ideal activity for mind and body fitness (find others who have a similar interest and form a musical group)
- The world doesn't stop innovating when you retire, you need to keep up with technology and not be afraid of it
- There are courses for every aspect of technology (I know, I took several computer courses at night
after I retired)
- Write a blog, start a facebook page, learn to tweet, conquer your cell phone
- Video games are now advised for seniors as a method of keeping your mind fit
- Sports fans, get into one of the many fantasy leagues - it will keep you very mentally active and sharp
- Believe it or not, shopping with a friend has been shown to be good for your mind and body fitness. Your friend provides the necessary social interaction, walking provides exercise for the body, and comparison shopping is good for the mind.
- New sights, smells and activities are proven to keep your mind and body challenged and fit
- Word games, board games, and even card games are good for the mind, just play different ones
from time to time
- Trisha and John rarely take the same route, whether its walking for exercise or driving home from the store
About Trisha Parker, co-author of The Best of Our Lives:
Trisha began her professional life working as a teen model in southern California and was a finalist in the Miss Teen USA contest. After working in both print ads and television, she moved to New York and worked as a flight attendant. During this time she became engaged to John Parker, a young man she had first met in high school, who was serving in the United States Air Force. After their wedding, Trisha and John began married life in San Antonio, Texas, where she got her first taste of finance while working at a local bank. When John was deployed to Italy, she soon joined him and landed a job managing the base Officer's Club. After two years in Italy, they returned to southern California and settled down to start a family. They were blessed when Trisha gave birth to their three sons, Michael, David, and Daniel. As her family grew, so did her business career. Working her way up the ranks, she became one of the top compensation and benefits professionals in the country. She went on to hold executive positions, including vice president of compensation, benefits, and relocation, for two major corporations. In addition, she was elected president of her regional professional association and named to the board of directors of her national association.
Married for thirty-nine years, Trisha is an accomplished chef, seamstress, home decorator, and fitness enthusiast. She is most proud of her three sons, three daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren. She loves spending time with her family and is an avid travel adventurer, shopper, and bargain hunter. She is also a spiritual person and enjoys working on a variety of charitable projects. Most of all, Trisha is bright, beautiful, cheerful, and fun loving.
About John Parker, co-author of The Best of Our Lives :
As a young man, John Parker was an aspiring athlete and played winter baseball with the Los Angeles Angels before an arm injury ended that dream. In his early twenties, he attended college and pursued many diverse interests such as playing guitar in a band and becoming a licensed pilot. During the Vietnam War, John joined the United States Air Force and served as an intelligence analyst. While in the military, he married his long-time girlfriend Trisha Nystrom. After John completed his tour of duty, he and Trisha returned to southern California where they settled down and raised their three sons. After finishing his B.A., he went on to complete his master's and doctorate degrees in organizational communication. Over the course of his career, John served on the faculties of several major institutions, including Pepperdine University, California State University in Los Angeles, the University of Southern California, and St. Mary's College of California. He also spent considerable time in the business world and was a founding partner in a successful management consulting firm that continues to operate to this day. As a management consultant and personal advisor, John has worked for numerous legal, corporate, and governmental organizations. As an author, John co-wrote the popular study skills text, The Student Success Workbook. He has also been a featured speaker for numerous organizations and a guest on several radio and television programs. John is a devoted family man and enjoys sports, traveling, music, and photography.
Website: http://www.thebestofourlives.com
>> Buy the book on Amazon: The Best of Our Lives - Sharing the Secrets of a Healthy and Happy Retired Life
