The Unexpected Result Of A Retirement Hobby

Take Pen to Paper: Edition 143

Jun 19, 2025

Greetings, Readers!

What am I practicing so I can move forward?

Well, anything I want to get better at. Or, anything I want to keep doing. Improvement doesn’t have to be the goal.

I have been deleting the massive amounts of emails that I have hoarded for many years. They are part of the clutter in my life. While doing this, I noticed all of the newsletters I’ve subscribed to (I do love a good newsletter) that are no longer being published.

And here I am in my third year and publishing weekly!

In this newsletter:

My intention from the start.
It’s about the who.
Just what I needed.

True Confessions

When I took an online writing course, I told others in the cohort I had no writing goal. I actually did.

My line was that I wanted to write and publish occasionally. The truth was, I wanted an audience for a newsletter. Surely, I could find people to share my thoughts with, especially clearly written and edited thoughts.

This was one plan for my retirement, an enjoyable hobby.

It took me two years in the cohort and over 500 published essays to get up the nerve to start one.

For Whom The Pen Writes

I already knew what I would write about. There was too much negativity out in the world. I wanted to be a little spark of brightness in the dark. I’ve written about my journey with gratitude and good many times. Sharing more was my goal.

It goes without saying that I needed an audience. Who would I write for? I felt I had stories and thoughts to share that would be a bright spot for both old and new friends.

I threw caution to the wind and sent my newsletter out into the void. I have slowly gathered a small readership. Once I got up to 180 subscribers! 😮I was thrilled. However, it turned out to be a glitch in Substack’s system, and in one day, it dropped back to my 126ish count. 🤣

Having a small subscriber base is OK with me. This is a hobby, not a job. You don’t have to read many editions to tell that I enjoy many activities.

I appreciate everyone who subscribes, opens the email, reads, likes, and/or comments. It only takes one person to make another feel heard. Just think, I have more than one person reading.

You may try some of the actions I write about. Even if it doesn’t stick with you, that’s a win for me.

So, it sounds like I'm writing this newsletter for you.

My Journal Reveals The Truth

Each week, I send out my thoughts and stories on gratitude and the good in life.

The more newsletters I wrote, the more life stories I included, and the more you learned about me (if you didn’t already know). Sharing was doing a service to my readers!

This past week, I reflected on two thoughts:

Journaling and my newsletter remind me to put into practice the gratitude and good I write about. Not everything I write about sticks with me over the long haul; however, I give it a try through practice.
Sharing my stories with you holds me accountable. For example, I am trying to sketch in my journal daily (Edition 140), and I write my daily mantra in my journal: “I am a minimalist.” (Edition 141)

Reflecting on this made me realize that while I’m writing my newsletter for my audience, I am also writing it for myself. I may benefit the most because I need to put thought behind it to make it worth reading for you.

So it turns out I need my newsletter as much as anyone else.

7 Days, 7 Thoughts on Gratitude and Good:

I hope my weekly email arrives in better shape than this package I received. It looked like it got run over by a truck. Good Talk by Mira Jacob is a good book. 📖
Country walks and cooking are two of the most popular hobbies among retirees. 🚶‍♂️🍳
There are over 20 million active subscribers and 2 million paid subscribers to Substack. I am grateful for my tiny piece of that pie. 📰
Do you need some convincing to start exploring hobbies? Check out the benefits here.
I’m grateful to have a nearby business that caters to my other hobby, art. 🎨
It’s good to remember that when you do something for your well-being, you are probably having a positive effect on the well-being of those around you.
I’m grateful for how writing has enhanced my life. It might enhance yours. Check out this newsletter containing journaling/writing ideas. You don’t have to write every day to benefit from the exercise. ✍️

Thank you for reading. Are you retired and have a hobby, or is this something you need to plan for?

Until next time,

💚

Susan

What’s your hobby? Leave a comment and let me know. I would love to hear about it. I may be interested in trying it.

Take Pen to Paper