Hobbies Will Change Your Current Social Life
And protect your future one!
You need a hobby! (A new one or a revived old one)
“Many friends are entering the empty nest phase of their lives and some are really dreading it. Celebrities like Brooke Shields share on social media how they aren’t ready. Planning ahead by embracing new hobbies can help change your focus during this major life shift.”
Those words are from Dara Collins and Donna Kassman, former attorneys in South Florida who started a business called Modern Mahjong through which they teach mahjong and canasta, organize tournaments, and sell books, beautiful mahjong dice, and other products related to both games. They’ve helped countless people make new friends and learn a new skill through the love of a game.
Maybe a game is not your thing? That’s okay. There is a new (or old!) passion out there waiting for you. We started a list of ideas in my Facebook group, called Dear Nina: The Group, and I will share some of those later in this newsletter.
What’s my favorite hobby? I had not played tennis since I was 15, but decided three years ago, at age 44, that I missed having an activity/hobby and felt something physical was what I needed. I’m still playing three years later and it’s been the surprise joy of my 40s with an unexpected expansion of my social life too. I was intimidated at first and still sometimes get nervous before a drill with people who are better players, but any anxiety is worth the upside.
Hobbies are also an investment in your future retirement and empty nest social life. Socializing at all ages is important for combating loneliness and keeping your brain active. Did you love a sport or activity as a kid, but you’ve neglected that hobby (or any non-work, non-family passion) as an adult? This week’s episode is for you!
Dara and Donna and I have two important messages about hobbies and friendship:
#1. Get involved in hobbies when you’re still in a full and busy stage of life. You’re planting seeds for later!
#2. But it’s never too late to start. No matter your age, try something new OR make time for the hobby you’ve been neglecting.
FIND EPISODE #117 on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.
* Interested in learning how to play mahjong or refreshing your skills? Dara and Donna have two classes coming up. Here’s one for mahjong and one for canasta.
List of hobbies from members of Dear Nina: The Group (on Facebook)
Feel free to join the group and add more on the thread we started.
Park Run (as a volunteer)
Paddle tennis
Pickleball
Tennis
Biking
Standup comedy
Improv classes
Spiritual meetup groups (they do meditation, yoga, and psychological exercises)
Mahjong
Canasta
Other card games
Book clubs
Movie clubs
Dinner clubs
Crafting
Walking groups
Religious study groups
Many examples of volunteering from serving on a board to weekly commitments, monthly commitments and so on
Dog walking
Dance classes
Cooking classes
Training for races
Fundraising or and/or attending political events
Bunco
Zumba
Books, Shows, etc. I’m Into These Days
Reading: I started reading You are Here by David Nicholls (author of ONE DAY). I started listening to Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell:
See my full 2024 reading list, which I update on my website throughout the year.
TV: Abbott Elementary and Shrinking. Bryan and I are STILL watching Suits.
Cooking: I hosted a lot during Sukkot so this week will be extra basic.
Want to connect outside of this newsletter? You can find me most often in the Facebook group, Dear Nina: The Group, where we discuss books, shows, recipes, and of course, friendship. All the social media links are below.
Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | LinkedIn | Threads | Twitter | My Website
Two anonymous friendship advice questions you might have missed
Have an anonymous question for the newsletter or an episode? You can do that here, and I will never know it was from you.
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Have a great week everyone! Links to bookshop.org and Amazon are affiliate links
This sounds like a fun episode. I totally agree on hobbies. I recently volunteered to be a “docent” on the neighborhood home tour. It required zero skill and I met some interesting people. Also, technically it wasn’t even my neighborhood! Our neighborhood and the adjacent one had a shared Neighborhood Night Out. When they mentioned needing volunteers, I hopped on the chance and am glad I did.
I went to a reading and signing by David Nicholls last month when I was traveling for work. I haven’t read his current book but he was endearing and easy to root for during the interview.