It’s never too late to expand your horizons—in fact, your retirement years give you more time than ever to cultivate a talent, dive deeper into your passions or even earn some college credit. Bonus: Lifelong learning creates new pathways in your brain, enhancing cognitive function. Here are some strategies that will help you grow and flourish at every stage of your journey.
View Your Age as a Strength
You might think that children are more capable of learning new things, but the reality is that young people are simply placed into educational settings for longer stretches of time. Although there may be days when it seems like your brain isn’t working as fast as it used to, there are several ways in which you may be even more ripe for a challenge now than when you were younger.
For starters, your verbal abilities are likely superior to people from younger generations. That’s because you’ve had many more decades to expand your vocabulary and polish your communication skills. Inductive reasoning—moving from specific observations to a broader conclusion—also tends to improve with age. The reason? Years of accumulated knowledge and experience may boost your ability to solve problems and gain accurate insights.
Break Things Down
You didn’t master your multiplication tables in just one day, and the same holds true when it comes to learning after retirement. If you want to learn to play the guitar, start with a simple method book or YouTube video and strum away for 15 to 30 minutes at a time. Maybe you won’t sound like Wes Montgomery or Jimmy Page, but instead of obsessing over your mistakes, focus on incremental accomplishments like a chord you nailed on the first (or second or third) try.
Remember, too, that mastering the basics is the fastest way to progress. For example, if you’re learning how to paint, focus on basic colors, brush strokes and shapes before you attempt to create portraits or nature scenes. By internalizing the fundamentals, you can more easily understand advanced concepts and apply your knowledge with confidence.
Try the Buddy System
Learning with another like-minded person is a great way to sharpen each other’s skills and maintain mutual accountability to keep moving forward. Your buddy may also have a different way of understanding the material, which can help you see the subject from a new perspective and fill gaps in your own knowledge.
Having a partner with similar goals fosters a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose, too, which goes a long way toward fending off social isolation. You and your buddy may even decide to join a larger class or group, where you can benefit from the expertise of others. It’s also an organized, engaging way to meet new people and expand your circle of friends.
Formal classes provide a framework that fosters a sense of purpose. And the good news is, lifelong learning opportunities for retirees have never been more plentiful.
- Adult education courses. Learn new skills, revisit a favorite subject or explore topics that may not have been taught when you attended school. Many community colleges and universities offer courses designed for folks over 65—some of which are available to audit tuition-free.
- Neighborhood clubs. Groups like those that gather for religious study, bird watching or chats about historical and political topics often advertise their meetings in libraries and shopping centers or on apps like Nextdoor.
- Workshops and seminars. Community centers and libraries often host lectures on a variety of topics, as well as mini courses that teach the fundamentals of hobbies like astronomy, painting and photography.
- Degree or certification programs. If you’ve always wanted to earn an advanced degree, you’re in luck. Colleges and universities have made higher learning more accessible to people over 65—and some even offer tuition waivers, discounts and scholarships. Many online universities such as WGU also let you learn at your own pace and charge lower tuition rates than traditional colleges.
At Springmoor, opportunities to learn something new abound. With guest lectures, continuing education seminars and a wide range of clubs, there’s something for every lifelong learner. Call 919-651-4844 to schedule your tour.
