This past year has been a year of inspired learning for me. I am inspired by people around me who challenge themselves, at any age, to learn something new simply for the joy of learning. I know people who have decided to study a new language, try a new instrument, take a stab at a new business, learn a new sport and understand the ever changing world of technology. Choosing to learn something new, simply for the sake of learning and challenging ourselves, improves our lives. Discover the benefits of learning something new and the enjoyment it can bring to your life.
The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.
Brian Herbert
Learning is a lifelong pursuit. We start off in elementary school and continue through the high school and maybe college years. But, what happens after that? For many, what happens is that we settle into our routine of jobs, responsibilities and tasks of life and the only learning that takes place is what’s necessary to get by. As a result, our learning soon consists of acquiring the new skills and abilities that are presented to us by our circumstance. This could be skills and training at our job, learning how to run and manage a home, understanding how to navigate a marriage and parenthood or learning how to deal with emotions like loss and fear as we go through trials.
Though we continue to learn through experience and necessity, we don’t always choose to learn for the sake of adventure and curiosity. Why not? Do we get tired or comfortable? Are we set in our ways? Do we lose our desire to challenge ourselves? Perhaps we doubt our ability and fear takes over? Whatever the reason, I think that many people aren’t motivated to try something new.
New things I’ve learned
This past year I was motivated to try something new and start this blog. I had a desire to help people be more joyful and see the good in life. I’ve also had a lifelong desire to write. Once I decided that a blog would be a great way to combine these two desires, I had to embark on a steep learning curve of how to start and maintain a blog. I’ve spent hours researching topics related to my writing, the settings and presentation of my blog, publishing, etc. Though I had a lot to learn (and still do), I love the process of learning that I’m going through and I love the enjoyment it brings me. Above all, I feel invigorated by the challenge and a renewed sense of purpose because there is always so much more to learn.
Another skill that I decided to pursue this year is playing the cello. This is not an entirely new instrument for me, but I haven’t touched or played my cello in over 20 years! My cello has just been sitting in a corner of our office collecting dust. My children and husband encouraged me to play it again so I took the step of signing up for lessons. It was a humbling experience starting at the basics again, but also stimulating to relearn this instrument. I love challenging myself and feeling the pride of setting a goal and seeing some results.
What keeps us from learning something new?
There are so many things that hold us back from learning something new. One of the main things that holds us back is a fear of failing. Embarking on something new involves risk and a certain degree of humility. There is a chance that what we set out to learn is going to be too challenging or that we might not be successful in that area.
Another thing that hold us back is time and energy. Learning a new skill or subject will take effort and this often means prioritizing the learning in our busy lives. It can feel overwhelming to know where to start and how to find the time.
Finally, I think learning something new takes a motivation to grow. We will not set out to learn something new unless we are motivated to expand, improve and develop beyond our current state. It involves choosing to be an even better version of ourselves.
Benefits to learning something new
There are so many benefits to learning something new. For example, when we learn a new skill or subject we satisfy our curiosity, feel a renewed sense of purpose, strengthen our minds, stimulating curiosity and increase our self-confidence. In addition, we push ourselves past our comfort zone and discover new things, not only about the skill or subject, but also about ourselves. Often times learning a new skill or practice becomes a positive distraction from the routine of our lives (read more about benefits of positive distractions here).
We are so blessed to live in a day and age where we have abundant learning opportunities easily accessible at our finger tips. Learning a new skill or subject has never been easier. We can look on YouTube to learn plumbing, how to play an instrument or how to play a sport. We have podcasts at our disposal that teach about any subject under the sun. The internet supplies countless resources to guide us as we navigate our way through any topic. So what’s holding you back?
Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.
Anthony J. D’Angelo
When I was growing up my mother always said, “You learn something new every day”. It is one of her sayings that I will always remember. I love the idea of learning something new each day and the hope that it gives me to know that there is always something new to discover. To me this means that life will never be boring. I can choose to learn something new and challenge myself to grow.
Challenge for this week:
- Make a list of things you have always wanted to learn. Include subjects you are interested in, skills you want to possess, processes you want to understand better or business ideas. Dreaming is the first step and will inspire you to improve yourself and grow. Stumped? Check out this fun list of 101 new skills to learn for inspiration!
- Evaluate you schedule and determine if you are able to devote any time to learning this new thing.
- Make an effort to learn something new every day. Have an open mind to the things around you and seek opportunities to grow.