I’m 68, having a blast with my new “career,” and I feel really good about what I’m doing. Eight years ago I retired from the “day job” and haven’t looked back.

I’m more engaged and excited about what I’m doing than I’ve been in years. I’ve learned so much, met so many super people and realized that I can successfully explore my passions, even at my age.

Being positive and looking forward to each new day has always been my outlook on life. It got me through cancer, the death of my parents, divorces/breakups – not to mention being out of work and almost penniless at one point.

My positive attitude also helped make my move to Thailand a smooth transition when I retired. I’d always told myself I would retire on a tropical island, and I did!

Trying New Things After 60

I’ve always loved to write and have loved cats since I first saw one. Giving back and helping others is also something I really believe in. I looked around and saw such unhappiness, depression and a pessimistic outlook on life from so many my age, that I decided to combine my passions to help them.

The Happy Cat is dedicated to Boomers staying positive, making good life choices and finding happiness each and every day as they journey through life.

At 61 I started my Happy Cat blog. At 62 I started a YouTube channel for videos taken here on Koh Lanta, the island I’m proud to call my home. At 63 I started an online shop to go with my website. The shop features cat-themed products from Thailand. What could be better than a cat-themed shop for someone like me! Last year I created a Giant Cat and other sculptures off of plastic waste lighters.

And I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve done it all myself; the planning, the strategy, the technical side and all the promotional marketing. And I don’t find it stressful at all. I feel great, confident in my new career, and more importantly, I’m having a blast!

Here are 5 reasons why trying something new is good for us, especially when we are over 60.

Exercise for the Brain

Trying new things provides an excellent way to exercise our brains. Doing something different means that we’ll be learning new ideas, concepts and skills. Brain exercise is important as we get older. The brain is like a muscle; if it isn’t used, it gets weak.

Involvement in the Present

Trying something new keeps us involved in the present. Whether the something new is a new sport, hobby, place to live or a new business, the act of making a change keeps us involved in the present, in the here and now.

Often, when life gets boring, we can reminisce about our lives and focus on the past. We seem to take comfort remembering where we used to work and live, and have wonderful memories of those no longer with us.

While we all have these thoughts, we have to be careful that they don’t take up the majority of our time. It is easy to slip into our memories – ignoring the present – when it is the present that we live in. A new situation keeps us engaged with living in the present.

Interaction with New People

New situations give us an opportunity to interact with new people. Trying something new is an excellent way to also meet new people. Loneliness can be difficult as we get older. Our circle of friends and family seems to continually shrink and it is hard to meet new people. But starting something new provides us with a super opportunity to meet new people with similar and complimentary interests.

New Interests and Opportunities

Trying something new provides the opportunity to find new interests and make our lives more interesting. Many of us get so wrapped up in our lives with our jobs and families that we never try activities or hobbies. We always say, One day I’ll do this or that. Well, now is the time. New interests make our lives more interesting, and this helps us nurture a positive attitude for looking forward to each new day.

Financial Awareness

Engaging in new activities also requires us to get involved with our financial situation. The majority of us are no longer accumulating; we are spending, downsizing and often worrying about our spending.

This isn’t a bad thing. We need to often review and analyze our financial situation. It is important to know what we have, what can we do and what could be done to free up some funds for our new interests. It also gives us a feeling of satisfaction that we figured out our finances. We gain a sense of autonomy as we are doing it ourselves. We feel strong and in control of our lives.

Try it you may like it! A friend of mine is always saying “Never try, never know,” and she’s right. It’s fun and exciting to try something new. And if you find you don’t like it, well, you can always try something else.

It’s all good!

What was the last “new thing” that you tried in your life? What benefits have you found? Or, what is holding you back from starting a new project or following a new passion? Please share in the comments below.