Here is a List of 7 Hobbies That Will Make You Smarter and Age Successfully:

1. Play a Musical Instrument - Playing music has benefits, such as, analytical skills, creativity, fine motor skills, etc. However, unlike other activities, it strengthens the corpus callosum by creating new connections between the left and right cerebral hemispheres. Improving the corpus callosum also helps with problem solving, memory, and overall brain function no matter how old you are!
2. Read Anything - Whether you like Harry Potter or the latest issue of the Colorado Springs Gazette, reading will reduce your stress! This will make you feel better about yourself and will help with problem solving. It will also increase your level of intelligence. Aren’t you glad reading is in the list of 7 hobbies that will make you smarter?
   
3. Exercise Regularly  - Need we say more! Regular exercise will flood your cells with BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor). This is considered an important protein that influences brain function as well as the peripheral nervous system. It helps with memory, concentration and understanding, learning and mental acuity. Sitting down for long periods of time actually has the opposite affect and hinders our brain from working as well as it could.
   
4. Learn a New Language - If you want to be really good at solving puzzles, learn a foreign language. If you are bilingual, you will be a better puzzle solver than those who speak only one language. Leaning a new language enables your brain to better perform any mentally demanding tasks. That will serve you well as you age!
5. Test Your Cumulative Learning - You can test your cumulative learning by keeping track of noteworthy bits of knowledge you acquire. It could be information from reading a book, observing other people’s interactions, or simply keeping a small journal with notes on anything that grabs your attention. Watching Jeopardy is our favorite activity for reaching into your brain for past-learned information.
   
6. Work Out Your Brain - You want your nerve cells to respond in new ways which increases your neuroplasticity.  Yes, that is a big word, but increasing it will improve your cognitive abilities and reduce anxiety as well as depression. So have fun with Sudoku, jigsaw puzzles, card games, board games and other activities that give your brain a workout!
   
7. Meditate - A recent study showed that we can control our own brain waves and feel whatever we want to feel whenever we want to. Wow…that is powerful! What we can take from this is that the brain can further develop, and you can do it on purpose.You can work on improving your strengths as well as improving upon your weaknesses.

Based on Scientific Research
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​During retirement each day allows for the freedom of choice. It also allows the retiree to explore new things as a well-deserved reward for all of the hard work accomplished after years of employment. However, it can be quite a challenge to keep things interesting during those long periods of time every day.

There are, of course, those occasional projects and tasks around the house. But, when you think about filling 20 to 30 years of significant and worthwhile things to do, the task may seem a bit overwhelming.

An example of a specific activity is taking a trip to someplace you and your spouse/friend have never been before. The fun is actually in the planning. This is a great way to create memories that will be with you forever.

Another example is to join a sporting group or team. You will not only get into shape, but you will also make new friends.
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Here is a list of fun and entertaining ideas to keep retirement anything but mundane: Fun in Retirement

 The Cumbres and Toltec Railroad is a National Historic Landmark. It's a 64-mile day trip that you will thoroughly enjoy and never forget. The narrow-gauge heritage railroad operates  between Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico. It crosses the borders of Colorado and New Mexico 11 times as it chugs its way up and over the 10,015′ high Cumbres Pass.

The Cumbres & Toltec goes where no automobile can go. Most of the route is through “off-the-grid” wilderness, so you’ll experience views into canyons and over ridges that can’t be seen in any other way.

The train travels at a top speed of 12 miles an hour, and that’s the beauty of it!
You won’t miss the aspen groves, the wildflowers, the steep mountain canyons, or the plentiful wildlife.

The steam engine is coal fired and carries you through steep mountain canyons, high desert, and lush meadows as you zig zag between the Colorado and New Mexico borders. There is, indeed, spectacular and rare Western scenery which can only be viewed from the train's unique route.

The Cumbres and Toltec Railroad has steamed through history and across the Rocky Mountains since 1880, when first tracks were laid across Cumbres Pass. This unique experience will take you back in time and off of the grid so you can experience the sounds, steam and steel of bygone years. Your daily grind can’t follow you into the great, unspoiled West.

Originally part of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad's narrow-gauge network, the line has been jointly owned by the states of Colorado and New Mexico since 1970.

In 1988, a nonprofit organization called the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad was established to preserve the history of the railroad and help maintain infrastructure and rolling stock. The Friends of the C&TSRR also participates in various education programs and provides the railroad guides, known as docents, who inform passengers about historical aspects of the railroad as well as locations of interest.

A recent honor:
USA Today - "Best Train Ride in America”
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad ranks among the most authentic steam-operated railroads still in existence. Passengers aboard this National Historic Landmark travel along a track laid in 1880 between Chama, N.M. and Antonito, Colo. Source...

Related Travel Info...

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This Football-shaped Meatloaf is sure to please your party guests!

1) Canteloupe – One serving has just 46 calories and nearly a day’s worth of vitamins A & C. It’s also a very good source of potassium. Eating it raw or making a fruit salad with a little feta and mint makes a delicious summer lunch.

2) Zucchini – Wow, only 29 calories in one cup and is high in fiber, vitamins A, C and K and also potassium. It also adds bulk and substance to your diet. Zucchini is versatile in that it can be grilled, eaten raw, stuffed, made into chips or used to replace noodles in homemade lasagna.
3) Eggplant – This purple beauty is a good source of vitamins B6 & K as well as being a very good source of fiber. It is also low in calories and contains antioxidants that fight disease. The purple color is a cue that it will benefit the heart and memory. Prepare it sautéed, grilled or cubed in a stir fry or on a sandwich.
4) Blackberries – Blackberries are a good source of potassium and vitamins E, C, K & manganese. They are also loaded with fiber and antioxidants. Other benefits include protecting the heart and lowering blood pressure. They add a nice taste to a glass of ice water or seltzer or add them to salads. Blackberries are popular in baked goods as well.
5) Yellow Summer Squash – This is also known as “crookneck or straightneck” squash. It is rich in fiber, vitamins C, K, and potassium and has very few calories. Prepare it grilled, in a summer soup or be creative and use it as a pizza topping.
A culinary tip: A grilling basket or tray is a very easy way to prepare veggies alongside your main meal on the grill. It makes for easy clean up and no mess in the kitchen!
Let us know which summer super foods are your favorite…Comment Below
Read more here: Super Foods

Eat Plenty of Summer Super Foods for a Healthier Diet!

Bucket lists are a popular topic among all age groups, but especially those in their 50’s, 60’s and beyond. There was even a popular movie titled The Bucket List, released in 2007, featuring seasoned actors Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman – who played two men with terminal illnesses – who wanted to cross items off their own bucket lists before they died.
Of course, you don’t need an illness to start a bucket list. Better to begin long before your own mortality is staring you in the face. Here are some reasons you might or might not want to start and pursue you own bucket list.
Bucket List Pros:

• It’s highly motivational. Just ask someone who completed an item like hiking Machu Picchu or catching that awesome fish, or whatever it is that his or her heart desires. They can’t wait for the next adventure.
• It’s pleasing. Your bucket list items should be fun and bring you joy and a feeling of satisfaction.
• You will be following your own life plan instead of what others expect of you.
• Most of your bucket list items will probably involve others. This gives you many more chances for creating meaningful connections.
• Having important things to do can give you something to live for and actually extend your life.

Bucket List Cons:

• You lose some of your flexibility and spontaneity when following a prescribed list.
• You can become so focused on your bucket list, you forget to enjoy the experience. Remember, it should be about the journey more than the goal.
• You may spend too much time or money out of a compulsion to complete your items.
• If you load your list with irrational items, or take no action, this can be worse than never starting the list.
• Even if you have a rational and achievable list, you may be disappointed if you fail to achieve some of the items on your list.

To speak to the last point, it is perfectly acceptable and to be expected, that you not complete all the items on your list. In fact, if the list is easily achievable, you probably haven’t tried hard enough.
There is a Common Misperception That Bucket lists are Only for Big ItemsThere is a common misperception that bucket lists are only for big items, but they are really for whatever you find meaningful. Here are the types of things that can go on bucket lists:

• Places you want to see (e.g. Machu Picchu).
• People you want to spend time with (your best friend from high school).
• Physical goals you want to achieve (complete a half or full marathon).
• Things you want to learn (speak a foreign language)
• Habits you want to establish (meditate or establishing exercise routine).

I started my bucket list a dozen years ago and it is gratifying how many of the items my wife and I have completed. Here are just a few: learn to play guitar and perform in a band, take singing lessons, travel to interesting places like Russia, break 100 in golf, learn to play pickleball.

If you are looking for idea starters, try this article from developgoodhabits.com. They not only give you 553 potential bucket list items but also the following great advice for building your own list: “As you go through this list, be sure to write down the items that resonate with your “personal why.” Then add the ideas that sound like a great challenge. Then the stuff that’s fun. Then the ideas that you can share with your significant other. And finally, the ideas that will help with your self-improvement efforts.”

Remember that the bucket list is a positive endeavor – what you intend to do – and not about what you aren’t going to do. Not doing cool stuff is a common deathbed regret. And guess what my friend – you get to define what you consider cool stuff! This is a great privilege but can be wasted if you fail to write out and go make the items on your bucket list happen. What better time to start than right now? Source...

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Enjoy a Colorado Vacation in Breckenridge!
Related Travel Post: Camping in Colorado

See more: BreckVacation