We’ve gathered interesting responses from our community members, all centred around a single question : “What are some unique or unexpected ways you’ve found to stay mentally and physically active in retirement? How has this contributed to your overall well-being?”
Explore how our WisGen are staying active in retirement and breaking stereotypes surrounding ageing through the variety of activities and hobbies they have taken up.
Ashish Munjal
“I live in a senior community and participate in as many social and games activities as possible. I keep learning new skills regularly, especially in the technology domain. I am an avid reader and have also authored two books recently, one of which is about the well-being of senior citizens. The book is titled “Golden Years, Golden Lives.” I love to travel and see new places. I am also a nature photographer and specialise in wild birds.”
Debasish Bandyopadhyay
“I am physically fit and remain active by doing Yoga, swimming regularly, and eating a balanced diet. I have been doing post-retirement consultancy work as a freelancer, which ran satisfactorily. My work is gradually reducing to a very minimal level since I have recently shifted from New Delhi to Kolkata, my native place. This is causing some frustration, and I feel frustrated about losing all such activities.”
Donald Dsilva
“As the saying goes, an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. We need to keep moving in life with some activities. After COVID, I couldn’t join any company to stay physically and mentally fit. I just walked and walked whenever I could. Distance never matters; hiking and exploring nature is the best way to keep you healthy. Listening to music psychologically relaxes me and keeps me stress-free.”
Jagannadham Seelam
“I always read books like Think Grow Rich By Napoleon Hill and The Power of Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy. Presently I am in the process of changing my old habit of blaming others for my failures and accepting them as ‘lessons’ for my successful endeavors in future and personal Development.”
Jitendra Kumar Ranjan
“Be attached to friends and relatives, participate in social events, take care of flora and fauna, and participate in plantation drives and awareness campaigns about environmental protection. Try to teach children from less privileged backgrounds when possible.”
Mahesh Dadlani
“I took a sabbatical from my high-profile corporate job to pursue my goal of giving back to society.
I have chosen to be busy by working with grassroots-level non-profits, learning the finer nuances and challenges they face, and exploring how I can emulate some best practices from the corporate world to help drive operational excellence. The journey has been a very gratifying blend of contributing and learning, at the same time.
I have also invested in myself by doing an executive development program in Human Resources from TISS, Mumbai, to gain some subject matter expertise in HR since it can be an area with high potential for contribution, especially in the social sector. It’s something I intend to pursue in an advisory/consulting role.
My life is currently invested in what I love doing (giving back to society) plus reviving all my personal relationships, which took a backseat due to my extremely busy engagements during my corporate journey.
Travelling and reading have gotten an enhanced priority on my list of pursuing my passions, and so has music and singing at concerts.”
Premlata Haralalka
“I have been active since childhood, and age does not matter when I decide to do something. After winding up my travel agency in 2005, I started research writing. Having a PGDM was a boon. By this time, I was already exposed to spiritual discipline under the aegis of a Guru. I also engaged in editing and helped publish several spiritual books. I learned to edit audio files as well.
Having attained a Reiki Mastership, I was associated with reiki sessions, healing and teaching. My son was in China, so I also got to hold Reiki sessions in China; in fact, one organisation also engaged me as a spiritual teacher for a retreat.
As my experiences grew, my confidence further pushed me towards engagement. During COVID times, I started engaging myself with Hand Mudras. After three years of research, I could launch my hand mudra sessions online. I did get two platforms to give awareness talks on hand mudras, and the sessions are immensely satisfying as I see participants deriving benefits.
So my day comprises a morning walk, Yoga, pranayama, meditation, looking after the house to some extent, holding sessions on hand mudras, Reiki healing, and video consultations for career counselling and emotional well-being.
While the first part of life was more about fulfilling duties and responsibilities, now it is more about doing what gives me satisfaction, focusing on personal growth and development, and helping others on the same path.”
B Raj Kumar
“I am pursuing my passion for writing poetry and novels in English as my second career. I participate in at least ten daily contests in poetry.”
Sanjay Kumar Kajuri
“Morning walks, reading books, preparing presentations, learning new training ideas from YouTube and participating in cultural activities are ways I keep mentally and physically fit. “
Satinder Bir Singh
“I regularly go to the gym and explore the world. My well-being mantra is to give at least one hour to spiritual health and one hour to physical fitness daily.”
Suhas Doshi
“I feel being mentally and physically active is the basic need and truth of meaningful human living. It is further important as one ages. I want to add that being mentally and physically active complement each other well. Activeness in both has a cascading effect and stimulates each other to make life easier and more enjoyable. Physical inactivity slows down mental stimulation and vice versa, and that keeps on making life difficult.
I believe in and am very sensitive to mental and physical activeness and enthusiasm. I remain active by maintaining a simplified, disciplined routine and nurturing many interests. It helps me to face the challenges steadily.”
Sundararamanan Natesan
“To keep ourselves physically active, my wife and I walk about 2 to 3 km daily in the morning, followed by mild exercises, including some cardio. As we don’t have children, we spend time together, whether it is eating, drinking tea, praying or watching television. This ensures that the bonding continues despite differences of opinion that arise between us as two different individuals. I meditate as soon as I get up in the morning, preferably in the Brahma muhurta, i.e. at 04:30 AM – if not daily, as and when my body permits. To keep my mind active, I browse articles related to my profession and advancement in the field. Also, I ensure to read at least one book at any point – the present is ‘Sapiens – A Brief History of Human Kind” by Yuval Noah Harari.’
I follow the three questions required for any human being to take up any activity in his life- WHAT, HOW and WHY.
The ‘What’ answers the activity that is to be taken up. The ‘How’ answers the requirement for that activity – it requires physical work, mental work, or travel. The ‘Why’ answers the purpose of the activity, which should be closely connected to the very purpose in an individual’s life – be it taking care of health, wealth, knowledge or connections. The ‘What’ is for the mind, the HOW is for the body, and the WHY is for the soul.
In every activity I pursue, I ensure that the above three questions are answered to my satisfaction, ensuring the purpose of my life.
The purpose of my life, I feel, is to live a healthy life, to help and be helpful to others, share the knowledge and experience I have acquired in my life and take leave when it is time to go with the satisfaction that I made my small contribution to make this world a slightly better place to live.”
Surekha Srinivasan
Our winters have set in, but it does mean a cessation in any activity. Our minds have a rich heritage of experience coupled with calmness that can be our life tools. Being an English Aptitude Trainer for past 15 years, I have slowed down my workshops giving it Quality time branching out into my other passion-Writing. I have published 12 Anthologies as a poet and 2 Books of Poetry solo in the past 4 years. As our Sastras insist it’s time to delve into spirituality and our purpose in being manifested as Human beings. This quest has brought me deep understanding and unlimited love for the Supreme Power. I meditate for mental fitness, walk and exercise for physical fitness and read books to improve my EQ& SQ (emotional and spiritual quotient). I belong to ‘Inner Wheel’ where service and friendship bring exuberance and satisfaction to our rather staid lives. I tour exotic places to quench my travel bug. In short it’s a busy day everyday with a new experience waiting to be unfolded. Let’s welcome the respite nature has bestowed us and discover uncharted skies that we always wanted to but never had time. I have learnt 2 new languages, tried my hand at a different genre of writing, and cooked new dishes to stimulate grey cells, keeping me young at heart!
V. Ananthakrishnan
“Practising mindfulness, going to the gym and swimming whenever possible, and reading books on fields and areas I am interested in, besides being a part-time faculty. Also, I have a monthly meeting of my groups virtually. It has been nourishing me well, always.”
Anurag Shukla
Retired at 52 after a hectic career in the IT industry.
“Simple – I have committed to ending my day healthier and wiser than I started. To achieve this, I work out for 2 hours every day (mix of walking, running, stairs climbing, freehand exercises and weight training), follow time-restricted eating and read for 2 to 3 hours every day. My interests lie in economics, history and markets.”
Nandita Sinha
Educator, Counsellor, soft skills trainer, teacher of verbal ability and effective communication
“I like to stay mentally and physically active by telling stories, solving sudoku puzzles, and gardening.”
Col C J Pal
I retired from the Army after serving 32 years in the Corps of Engineers. I joined the corporate sector and developed several Mega Townships. Presently, I am working as a Consultant.
“Keep moving. This helped me stay mentally and physically fit.”
Kundan Sen
IT as a profession, Entrepreneurship for freedom, teaching is passion, cycling is recreation, and Yoga is life.
“Carpentry, Hydroponics, Sanskrit, Temple Architecture, Cycle Touring, Yoga.”
To share your articles, blogs, and other written content related to your post-retirement experience, write to us at content@wisdomcircle.com.
