Inspired Retired
- Michael Palmer
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Discover New Things to Do, See and Experience in Retirement
Retirement isn't the end of the adventure. For many people, it's the beginning of a completely new chapter – a chance to travel, walk, explore new places, rediscover old interests, meet people and finally find the time to try some of the things we've spent years saying we'd like to do.
That's very much an idea Lyn and I believe in here at The White Shire.
It's also the thinking behind Inspired Retired, a Facebook community run by my wife, Lyn, dedicated to sharing inspirational things to do, see and take part in during retirement and the years approaching it.
What is Inspired Retired?
Inspired Retired is for anyone who wants to live an inspired life.
You don't have to be retired already. The community is equally relevant if you're approaching retirement, beginning to think about what retirement might look like, or simply looking for new experiences and ideas.
Lyn created the group to share interesting and inspirational suggestions covering things to do, places to visit and activities to try.
The idea is simple:
Retirement should provide an opportunity to do more of the things that make life interesting.
Retirement is a New Chapter
For years, life can revolve around work, family commitments and everything else that fills our diaries.
Retirement changes that.
Suddenly there can be more freedom to decide how you want to spend your time.
For some people that might mean travelling. For others it could be walking, gardening, volunteering, learning a new skill, taking up a forgotten hobby or simply exploring places they've never previously had time to visit.
It doesn't necessarily have to involve expensive holidays or ambitious bucket lists either.
Some of the best experiences can be surprisingly close to home.
That's something Lyn and I have discovered through our own adventures around Yorkshire.
Finding Inspiration Closer to Home
One of the reasons we created The White Shire was our enjoyment of getting out and discovering Yorkshire.
Lyn and I regularly head off together to walk somewhere new, explore a village, discover its history or visit somewhere we've driven past countless times without stopping.
Yorkshire gives us an extraordinary playground in which to do it.
There are historic towns and villages, countryside walks, stately homes, museums, gardens, industrial heritage, beautiful landscapes and miles of coastline waiting to be explored.
You don't always need a grand plan.
Sometimes choosing somewhere you've never visited before and spending the day exploring it can be enough.
Things to Do in Retirement
One of the aims of Inspired Retired is to demonstrate just how broad the possibilities can be.
Ideas might include discovering a new walking route, taking a short break, visiting somewhere you've never been before, attending a local event, learning a new skill, joining a group, volunteering, taking up photography, trying a new sport or returning to something you enjoyed years ago.
The important thing isn't necessarily what you choose.
It's continuing to have things to look forward to.
And if you're looking for somewhere to go next, discover what's on across Yorkshire and find events, shows, festivals and days out around the county.
A Community Where Everyone Can Inspire Someone
Inspired Retired isn't intended to be somewhere Lyn simply posts her own ideas.
It's a community.
Lyn regularly shares suggestions, but members are encouraged to contribute their own discoveries and experiences too.
Perhaps you've found a brilliant place to visit.
Maybe you've taken up an unusual hobby since retiring.
You might know a fantastic walking route, have discovered a great day out or started doing something you never imagined yourself trying.
Share it.
Your suggestion might be exactly the inspiration someone else needs.
That's where a community like Inspired Retired can become particularly valuable – one person's experience can give somebody else the confidence or idea to try something new.
Michael and Lyn – Still Exploring
Inspired Retired also connects closely with what Lyn and I are doing through The White Shire.
We're continually exploring Yorkshire together, particularly on foot.
The walking routes featured on The White Shire are personally walked, photographed and GPS recorded by us, and along the way we're discovering the history and character of towns, villages and countryside throughout the county.
We're certainly not interested in running out of things to do.
Quite the opposite.
There is always another path to walk, village to explore, place to visit or story to discover.
Looking for Your Next Adventure?
If you're approaching retirement or already enjoying it, perhaps the best question isn't:
"What am I going to do when I retire?"
Perhaps it's:
"What shall I do next?"
Inspired Retired is there to help answer that question.
Whether it's a day out, a new hobby, somewhere to visit, an activity to try or an idea shared by another member, you never know where the next bit of inspiration might lead.
And importantly, you can inspire other people too.
Join Inspired Retired
If you'd like fresh ideas for things to do, see and experience – or you've got your own suggestions you'd like to share – we'd love you to become part of the community.
Come along, share your ideas and discover what other members are doing.
Because retirement doesn't have to mean slowing down.
It can mean finally having the time to start exploring what's next.
Click on the links below to listen to our podcasts
TThe Historical Aire and Calder: A Journey Through Timehe Historical Aire and Calder: A Journey Through Time
Comments