Ideas for one-off things to do

[TheClocksFast]

Late fifties, single, post-menopausal, and in the midst of brain fog and very little energy or direction.

I’m trying to turn things around this year and have set myself various tasks and challenges, but I want to make a list of twenty one-off things to do to get me out of my comfort zone and provide some interest.

It can be anything but preferably not involving travel or too much money.

Some ideas so far:

Have a meal out alone.
Have an evening of online bingo.
Go on a date.
Write to someone famous.
Enter a competition.

Any more ideas, anyone, as I’m struggling for ideas.
(I like eating and doing creative things.)

Go to an art class, visit sn art gallery, go to a place you used to love, visit old friends, go to the library, visit a bookstore not in your locality!!

Go to a pottery class (there's some near us do one off events)
Go to the cinema.
Go to the farm/zoo
Go to a gig/concert
Book a spa day/ break

Go to a wine and cheese tasting.

See if there’s a knit and natter or stitch and bitch type group in your area - great for creative time and socialising with new people.
cookery classes
park run
community choir trial session ( free usually)
try a new sport class ( first session usually free )

Work your way through recipes you like the look of
learn a language
learn an instrument
organise your photos
go to some art galleries
see something you’ve never seen before, I want to see an opera for example

A colleague was made redundant last year and while struggling to find a job did some shifts at a food kitchen - chopping tons of carrots, potatoes for meal prep, and then getting involved in some of the distribution. Said it was physically hard work (previously a desk job) but an amazing, yet humbling experience.

How about trying something like tai chi or yoga if you haven’t before, might help with energy too.

Have a make over at a posh make up counter

Or look at improving cooking skills by deep diving and experimenting with food/recipes/techniques from a different culture.

Pilates class
Sound bath
Workshop - flower arranging/crafting/art
Cookery class - Jamie Oliver ones are circa £80
Are you close to London? Lots more options if so but look at Time Out offers as some of them are online workshops, think you might pay for a kit and then make along via Zoom.
Local library - might have book group, walking group.
Classical music performance

Volunteer to work at a festival (or attend a festival but costs).
Have a surfing lesson.
Go trampolining.

Visit an art gallery
Go to a see a theatre production or a gig.
Do a walk somewhere a bit different - the ridgeway, or south downs way for example
Try a new form of art -

Go bouldering at your local climbing wall, I go on my own regularly and it’s lots of fun and not too expensive.

Do you listen to the radio? Are there any phone in quizzes you can take part in? I'm thinking of Ten To The Top on Radio 2.

Have a bash at completing Couch to 5k as an exercise challenge (technically not a one off, but sort of is a one off course). Or try another sport like archery or paddleboarding. A few local outdoor centres so one off taster sessions.

Walk in a wood when the leaves are still in early summer. Go to a play. A classical music concert. Grow something from seed. Climb a mountain. Do a litterpick in your locality. Find a choir. Look up local festivals and go to an event —could be music, film, comedy, literature etc. Contact someone you’re sorry you dropped out of touch with. Keep a dream diary. Go to the coast (unless you live there).Go inside some building you’ve always walked past. Get moving in some new way. Could be dance, running, walking, Zumba, t’ai chi.

Visit Shetland

All those old friends and colleagues you send a Christmas card to every year saying "we must meet up sometime" - just make a plan and meet them! You'll all be dead soon, so no time like the present!

Instead of doing an evening of online bingo join your local bingo hall and go for an evening in person. You can even get the electronic ipad things now that mark it off for you if you're worried about keeping up. It's a whole different experience in person and I much prefer it.

Llama trekking...
Me and dh have been twice.. It's fab!

Go to a craft workshop - I’ve done arm knitting, candle making and wreath making and there are always other solo people there (mainly women!)

Go watch a football match (your local team, not premier league)

Find a disused planter in your town or a patch of mud around a pavement tree and guerilla garden the heck out of it
Go to a water park and go on the big slides
Have a pedicure
Smell all the purfumes and then buy a dupe of your favourite
Declutter your clothes, sell them on vinted. Use the money to buy a pre loved cashmere coat, a leather handbag, a silk dressing gown... anything lovely and quality
Go to an antique shop and browse around
Go to a life drawing class
Join a book club/walking group/choir
Volunteer to listen to primary children read at your local school
Learn some basic BSL
Get up early to watch the sun rise somewhere peaceful with a hot drink
Perfect your Yorkshire puddings
Write a poem
Throw a dinner party
Go out for breakfast
Invite your neighbours round for cake and coffee
Go to the park with art supplies and paint/sketch the view

See if you have a local astronomy club that do open evenings and do some stargazing.
Visit a nature reserve and do some bird watching.
Go to a Choral evensong at your nearest cathedral.

Invite your neighbours round for a street party
Go and see some wildlife like puffins, seals
Walk up a mountain
Go ziplining or something else adventurous
Create a scented flower area of garden

Float pod

Outdoor sauna with icy plunge pool

Cook or bake something you've never made before

Groupon may give you some ideas - I did a snowboarding lesson in July at a snow dome and it wasn’t expensive through the groupon offer