From the moment we are born to the moment we die we never stop learning. Whilst we may not always ‘learn’ in the context of a formal classroom setting, or even though we may not be aware that we are consciously learning new things, every experience we have will teach us something.
For those who choose to embark upon a program of personal development or self-growth, they have often taken the decision based upon their perceived or actual need to change something about themselves or their lives that isn’t working for them. This process often results in them finding themselves on a road leading to personal enlightenment. Their ‘new’ life will seem so much better than what they would often refer to as their “previous existence” and, for those people in particular, their new zest for life will result in a lifelong learning experience which is aimed at leading them to personal fulfilment.
Why We Should All Learn
It’s not necessary for us to be on some kind of personal development quest in order for us to want to keep learning throughout our lives. As we get older, we sometimes become wiser but often, the more complex the world becomes too. In understanding life, the more we get to appreciate it, the more awe inspiring it becomes. There is a vast difference between living and simply existing and learning adds to the excitement of life and helps us make sense of the world in which we live.
Life is a process of continual change and, in order to make sense of the changes as we progress through life, we need to keep learning. And, it’s true that our brains need a regular workout just as much as our bodies to help us keep both mind and body in shape. Learning means being comfortable in other people’s company and also comfortable with our own company.
What is the Point of Learning?
Learning means many things to different people and the beauty of learning is that each of us as individuals will have learned, not only from our own experiences of life, but also by learning about things which we are interested in and have a passion for. This, in turn, means that people can learn from us and we can learn from them and this is what makes the world go round. Knowledge leads to understanding which in turn becomes an appreciation and, ultimately, a kind of love. Therefore, to have knowledge about life should ultimately result in us having a love for life and find the happiness which often seems to elude so many people.
Ways of Learning
It’s not simply about your school days, college or qualifications. Whilst they may be aspects of life’s learning which you can feel extremely proud of, learning is a lifelong process and you can do it in a number of ways. That said, keeping on top of work related skills is one way of ensuring that you are fully equipped to cope with things like job changes or even a change of career.
Learning by experience is applying what knowledge you may have learned and applying that in a given situation. Experience is the greatest teacher of all. Never be afraid of problems you encounter no matter how daunting they may appear to be at first. Each problem has a solution which, once we’ve discovered it and taken the appropriate action to tackle the problem, is one of the opportunities we have for personal growth.
Mistakes are also an area many of us like to shy away from, just as we would our problems but it’s a well known fact that we learn far more from the mistakes we make in life than we do from our successes. If you make a mistake, don’t deny it or try to make excuses, simply acknowledge you’ve made an error, learn from it and move on.
Remember when you were a child and were forever asking your parents ‘, who, what, when, where, how and why’? Well, as we become adults, many of us are too reticent to ask questions in our efforts to understand the world. To grow spiritually, it’s important to keep hold of that child-like curiosity in an adult form and to always be bold enough to ask questions. It’ll help you discover a world of unimaginable wonder.
Learn from others and consider all those we meet as ‘our teachers’ in life. This does not mean accepting that everyone else is right and we are wrong. We can take aspects of those we admire and incorporate some of those aspects into our lives whilst, the behaviour or attitudes of those we do not hold in high regard, simply re-affirms our belief that we are following the right path in our own lives and gives us a warning of what can happen if we stray too far from our beliefs.
As well as learning from others, be prepared to be the teacher too. Having an open, free spirited mind will draw others towards you who will also want to learn from you too.
Learn From Your Faults
Learn from your faults. Don’t hate yourself for them but let them be a reason to develop an even greater sense of self-discipline and to become an even better person. Learn from criticism but don’t get disheartened by it. Some criticism will be offered genuinely with your own interests at heart and other criticism will simply be vindictive. Learn how to distinguish between the two types then learn from the first and disregard the second.
Learn that it’s OK to change your mind. Life is, after all, an evolutionary process where things are constantly changing. What you may have strongly valued or believed in 10 years ago may not hold true today.
Whatever you do in life, the process of learning should be a continuous one if you want to be able to appreciate all that life has to offer you