A Newton-Abbot friendship group is encouraging retirees to give their lives a glow up by switching from a ‘to-do’ to a ‘to be’ mindset.

Heart of the West Oddfellows, which organises activities and social events in the Newton Abbot and Torbay area, said many people in retirement get stuck in a rut of ticking off ‘things to do’.

‘Retirement isn’t just about finishing work. It’s your chance to re-invent, re-energise and start living life like you mean it,’ said Heart of the West Oddfellows social organiser Tara Carlisle. ‘That means new friends, new adventures and a new perspective.’

The group’s message has received the backing of happiness doctor, Dr Andy Cope, who has spent 20 years studying the positive psychology. ‘Retirement is the perfect opportunity to have a psychological spring clean and to shift our mindset from ‘when’ to ‘now’’, he said.

‘Too often, we spend our lives chasing goals, which means we can accidentally kick our happiness into the long grass,’ he added. ‘With retirement, you can fall into the trap of only creating ‘to do’ lists and they are often quite mundane tasks, and they tend to run out once you’ve ticked off that holiday, or you’ve sorted out the house or garden. But if you make the switch to asking yourself what you want ‘to be’ today, it’s incredibly powerful and rewarding.’

Heart of the West Oddfellows offers opportunities for members to meet friendly faces, attend events, volunteer or go on group holidays. The group also provides wellbeing advice and a way to feel more connected in the local community.

Events planned for the summer including a talk and tour of the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) boat house in Teignmouth, a visit to the Birds of Prey Centre and a vineyard tour.

Oddfellows is holding a free online event where Dr Andy Cope will share insights in how to thrive in retirement at 7pm on Tuesday July 1. Further information is available on the Oddfellows website: www.oddfellows.co.uk/retirement.