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Aging is a natural process, and as retirement approaches, things get pretty challenging for all of us because this is normally the start of our physical and mental health’s slow decline. Add the seldom frequency of being able to hang out with your peers and loved ones, it gets pretty lonely too. Does it have to be like this? Isn’t there a way to remedy or prevent these things from worsening so we could be happier? The thing is, no it doesn’t have to be like this and there is a way to combat these struggles that we have. Here’s a clue: hobbies and habits. How are they different and how will these help?
Hobbies and habits are similar because both activities are done regularly, but the main difference is that a hobby is something you do consciously while a habit is more of a subconscious thing you do in the sense that it’s a part of your daily routine that makes it something natural for you to do. Hobbies help reduce stress and anxiety while boosting your immune system, confidence, and self-esteem. It may also connect you more with other people, creating a strong bond. Having good habits on the other allows you to live longer because it prevents you from acquiring serious health issues. In short, both hobbies and habits are beneficial to your physical and mental health, as well as your social relationships.
Now, wouldn’t it be great if there were hobbies that lead you to create good habits? It’s like hitting 2 birds with one stone, and the best part is, these hobbies are simple for you. Here are some examples of hobbies that help you develop good habits:
Sports
This was probably one of the things that brought us joy, and although it’s pretty challenging to do more contact sports like volleyball and soccer, there are less intense sports you can do which avoid straining your joints. Here are some sports we recommend you try. What’s important is for you to get regular exercise to strengthen your body and your mind.
Cooking
Making cooking your hobby allows you to keep a balanced healthy diet which is a good habit to have because it ensures the proper nutrition our body needs. What makes this even more interesting is that healthy food can be yummy too, and there are a lot of recipes that will guide you to creating delightful nutritious dishes, which are great substitutes for a lot less beneficial meals.
Games
Playing games help you by stimulating your brain and keeping it sharp. It is also socially beneficial for you to play games, as you connect with friends, loved ones, and even others. This prevents loneliness and isolation. Some games we recommend would be chess, scrabble, and sudoku, and if you’re techier and want to play some video games, we suggest Animal Crossing, Candy Crush, and Words with Friends.
Traveling
Do you have places you’ve dreamt of visiting? The beauty of retirement is that you get to travel wherever you’d want to go and traveling benefits multiple aspects of our lives. It helps us mentally by keeping our minds sharp and learning about the places we visit. It helps us physically because we get to move whenever we travel. It even helps us emotionally and spiritually because when we’re on vacation we become less stressed and anxious. Each destination makes our lives truly richer than ever before.
Meditating and Yoga
These two activities come together hand in hand as it refreshes your mind and your body, thus improving your overall health and well-being. These are activities you can do in the comfort of your own home or with friends to make it more enjoyable. Here is a great starting guide to yoga that may help you.
Overall, hobbies and habits impact our lives greatly especially as we age. Having good habits and amazing hobbies lets us live healthier and happier life no matter how challenging life may become. It prevents us from getting ill and fulfills our lives more.
Need help and support in your health and wellness goal and habit setting?
If you are unsure of what to do to make a successful health program for yourself, we suggest getting a health and wellness coach since they are experts who can give proper advice so that you’ll be able to figure out what exercises and activities you can do. Having a coach who you can be accountable to can help you set your goals and stick to them. This is what Reviving Mind’s group support + 1-on-1 health and wellness coaching program is all about, helping you connect with different people, where you are supported by your peers and your coach, ensuring that you stay healthy and live a more fulfilling life as you form meaningful bonds with the people you’ll meet.
