5 Surprising Ways To Age Out Loud

The news is out – people over the age of 65 are living differently than the senior citizens of decades gone by. No more do you have to plan on finishing up the last year of your life in a quiet retirement home somewhere. Nope, now you can age out loud.

Of course, there are many ways to be active and engaged in your community. Here are a few traditional ideas:

  • Join a senior center
  • Sing in a choir
  • Volunteer with the auxiliary
  • Play golf

These are well-trod roads for the senior set, and you should almost certainly be able to find these options in your area.

Once you’ve covered those options, though, you may be ready to stretch your wings even further. When that time comes, try one or more of these ideas:

1. Learn to play the ukulele
This instrument is enjoying a resurgence in popular culture, and for good reason – with its four nylon strings the ukulele is relatively easy to learn without painful, bleeding fingertips. If you’re in the KC area, consider joining a local group of the Ukesters – beginners are welcome.

2. Visit your Congressman
No matter what your political affiliation is, you can influence the political process by exercising your voice as a constituent. Never visited a Congressperson’s office before? All you need to do is decide what you’re concerned about, then show up during office hours to tell the staff what’s on your mind.

3. Mentor a new business owner
Do you have management, marketing, accounting, or other executive experience? If so, you may consider joining a local chapter of SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives). Our company Soundscaping Source has benefited from the retired executives who were willing to share their expertise with me, a young entrepreneur. You maybe surprised at the difference you can make, in a few hours each week.

4. Join a rock band
Yeah, the old songs are fine, but there’s also no time like the present to learn some shredding guitar solos and awesome bass lines. Get a couple of friends together to start a band, and learn a new instrument through a local music teacher. In the KC area, you can join the Forever Young choir to perform contemporary music.

5. Get a tattoo
Tattoos are cool these days, and in any case, you probably don’t have to worry about getting a job or establishing your professionalism anymore. Make sure to look for a tattoo artist that matches your style and has experience with older skin.

What do you think? What will you do to age out loud?

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