Honouring 60: Trying 60 New Things This Year (The First Two Months)

Last year, I retired. I expected to feel free. Instead, I felt a little lost. There were quiet days I hadn’t planned for. Less structure. Less built-in purpose. Fewer automatic social connections. And if I’m honest, moments of boredom and loneliness.

This year, I turn 60. Rather than shrinking into that milestone, I decided to honour it. So I set a challenge:  Try 60 new things before the end of the year. That’s about five new things a month. Some are big. Some are small. Some are slightly uncomfortable. Some are just playful. But every single one is intentional.

This is me doing my polar plunge... just trying to breathe.

January: Starting Before I Felt Ready

In January, I didn’t wait until I felt confident. I just started. In fact, I posted my intentions on my Facebook page so I could be held accountable. These are the 5 new things I tried in January:

1. I tried durian. 

If you don’t know, durian is a large, spiky Asian fruit… and very, very stinky — often compared to rotten feet. I had no intention of ever trying it. We were out for a family dinner at an all-you-can-eat buffet, and it was available. My husband asked if I was going to try it. I laughed and said, “Not!” He suggested it might be a good way to kick off my 60-new-things challenge. So I agreed. And because I was brave, everyone else at the table decided to try it too. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected. A little slimy. Mostly sweet, like a cross between pineapple and banana, with a hint of savouriness, almost like egg custard. I don’t need to try it again, but I’m glad I did.

2. I did a polar plunge with my friend, Fiona. 

Again, something I had always said I would never do. My husband and I used to laugh at people who did it and say, “Never in a million years.” But after trying durian and realizing discomfort didn’t kill me, I decided to go for it. Her husband cut a hole in the ice, which was several inches thick. It was freezing and windy. Wearing a bathing suit, hat, water shoes, and gloves, I climbed down a metal ladder from the concrete wharf into that dark hole. I stayed in up to my neck for about 30 seconds, just trying to breathe. The hardest part was climbing back up. One rung was coated in ice and too slippery to stand on, and my gloves kept sticking to the freezing metal. When I finally stood back on the wharf, I felt exhilarated. Completely alive. This one I may actually repeat, maybe as a New Year’s Day tradition.

3. I joined a 55+ Community Centre with my husband, Tony. 

So far, we’ve played euchre, table tennis and billiards. I learned to play bid euchre and have played that several times. There are always activities happening so whenever I am looking for something to do I know I can go there.

4. I took a bridge class with my friend, Alison. 

It was a couple of hours away from me so continuing in person isn’t practical. But we found a website where we can play together online, complete with video chat, so we can learn and catch up at the same time. It’s become connection and brain exercise rolled into one. And I can play bridge at my local community centre when I am ready.

5. I attended a Buddhist centre. 

This has been the biggest surprise… and the most impactful. I enrolled in a weekly class called Think Better, Feel Better and one quote in particular resonated deeply with me, “When things go wrong in our life and we encounter difficult situations, we tend to regard the situation itself as the problem, but in reality whatever problems we experience come from the mind. If we respond to difficult situations with a positive or peaceful mind they would not be problems for us; indeed we may even come to regard them as challenges or opportunities for growth and development. Problems only arise if we respond to them with a negative state of mind.” That idea stopped me. As I continue attending, I’m learning to reframe my thoughts, manage my emotions, practice more compassion for others and myself and become more curious and less judgmental. And I feel more peaceful. Less reactive. Less stressed.

Some of these experiences stretched me physically. Some stretched me socially. All of them stretched me mentally.

February: Expanding My Circle

In February, I kept going. Here are the 5 new things I tried this month:

6. I started pickleball lessons with my husband. (It’s really fun!)

7. I enjoyed Coldplay by Candlelight with my husband on Valentine’s Day. (We never do anything special for Valentine’s.)

8. I visited 4 local places I have never tried while following the Hot Cocoa Trail in Barrie. (With two of my friends that I really like but don’t spend enough time with.)

9. I took a qigong and tai chi class. (It was good, but I prefer to do it at home on my own for free.)

10. I took a line dancing class at a country bar. (I've never been in a country bar, let alone done line dancing. I went with a group of local ladies and although it was quite challenging, we had a blast!)

None of these changed my life dramatically. But collectively? They changed my rhythm. I was getting out of the house more.  Using my body.  Learning new skills.  Meeting new people.  Connecting in different spaces.

What This Challenge Is Really About

At the beginning of the year, this idea crossed my Facebook feed, and I decided to try it simply to pull myself out of a rut. I wasn’t expecting much. But after just two months, the benefits have surprised me.

This challenge has:

• Encouraged me to try things I might have talked myself out of.

• Pushed me outside my comfort zone.

• Stopped me from waiting for the “perfect” timing.

• Helped me do things on my own instead of waiting for everyone’s schedules to align.

• Sparked creativity.

• Added some structure and purpose to retirement.

• Improved my physical, mental, and social health.

• Connected me more deeply to my local community.

• Reminded me that I can do hard or scary things.

• Created more joy than I expected.

What started as a simple experiment has become something much bigger: a commitment to living this season of my life with intention instead of hesitation.

The Ripple Effect

When I shared this on Facebook at the beginning of the year, people reached out with ideas. Some suggested activities.  Some offered to join me. Some admitted they’ve been feeling stuck too. And some decided to create a similar challenge of their own. I learned that putting myself out there created space for others to do the same.

There are still so many ideas I’m excited to try. I’ve never had such an energizing start to a new year and I’m genuinely curious to see where this journey leads.

Why I’m Sharing This

Turning 60 isn’t about proving anything. It’s about honouring this season of my life with curiosity instead of comfort. It’s about being intentional and staying open to new possibilities. It’s about building social health on purpose. And maybe, just maybe, it’s about reminding myself (and anyone else who needs to hear it):

You are not done growing.

Not at 60.

Not after retirement.

Not after a hard year.

There is still room for new experiences, new friendships, new confidence and new joy. 

Maybe this is your nudge to try something new.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like some support on your life journey. Or check out my Facebook group, Busy Women Finding Balance, where we talk about boundaries, burnout, asking for help, and everything in between. As a bonus for joining, you’ll get free access to my 18-page goal-setting workbook, Beyond the To-Do List! It’s designed to help you reflect, prioritize, and take action—one step at a time. You can find the workbook in the Files section.