Launched in 2003 by the International Council on Active Aging, Active Aging Week celebrates the positivity of aging today and showcases the capabilities of older adults. Aging actively means different things to different people, but the overarching goal is to provide opportunities to participate in activities that enhance well-being while aging. One significant way to do that is by undertaking new experiences.
Encountering new experiences can be more difficult to achieve in retirement, without work or personal duties exposing us to new challenges and tasks. That’s one of the many reasons it is so important to create time for activities and friends with which to occupy yourself. By trying out a new hobby or sport, your mind and body are forced to work to incorporate the new information into its existing network of knowledge.
Acquiring New Skills
Whether it is taking up high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or birdwatching, the brain benefits from being exposed to novel situations. Of course, these situations are often stressful. But not all stress is bad stress. Think of it this way: when you lift weights, you are putting stress on your muscles. But, over time, you strengthen them. With weightlifting, technique and environment are important. It’s the same for your brain. It can be downright painful – mentally and physically – to learn something new. That’s why creating a positive learning environment can make or break your learning experience.
If you’re thinking about picking up a new hobby, try it out with a friend the first couple of times, or consider taking a class so that the instructor can be a resource when you have questions. When considering what activity to take up, think about activities you already enjoy and how you might push yourself past your comfort zone. If you love doing Pilates, you could turn up the heat and register for a reformer class to challenge yourself even further. Learning a skill such as dancing or meditation is also a good way to challenge yourself.
Empowering Yourself
Acquiring new skills is not only beneficial but essential. As technology continues to grow in complexity and as we face new challenges in our community and world, being able to respond to these changes is crucial. Your brain is a muscle, and so it responds to practice like any other one in the body would, meaning that aging actively is something you can and should work on every day. That might look like a challenging Sudoku puzzle or learning about a new culture. Whatever it is, you’ll know you are doing it right if you enjoy the experience as it is happening and can draw from that experience later down the road – perhaps by incorporating a new word into your vocabulary or a new recipe into your meal rotation. Healthy aging should be empowering and fun! QCBN
By Nick Brown
Nick Brown is a certified fitness professional and trainer at Touchmark Health & Fitness Club. For more fitness resources, contact us at 928-708-3133 or visit TouchmarkFitness.com/Prescott.
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