Lifelong learning
You can always learn a new skill. Studies show those who continually learn throughout their lives live happier and more fulfilled ones.
Skills
Think about how much time you spend on electronics. Maybe it’s endless social media scrolling on your phone or a binge-watch of your favorite television series. Either way, there are genuinely more beneficial things you could be doing with your time. That’s not to say unwinding by watching a movie or two every once in a while isn’t productive, but when it becomes routine, you’re reliant upon a screen to enhance your brain movement.
Sure, we all want to vegetate after work sometimes. Maybe you had a rough day, and you can’t think of anything else you’d rather do than lay on your couch and watch the latest four episodes of your favorite show. You know, the ones you missed from working long hours. There’s nothing wrong with that. I repeat, there’s nothing wrong with that.
I am not here to dispel that notion. Instead, to discuss how beneficial learning new skills and activities can be. Large in part, spending time on electronics is passive fun. You’re not moving; therefore, you’re not getting exercise. If you’re watching a show passively, then you’re not remaining attentive to the story in it, which is how your brain would benefit when watching one. If you’re sitting down and watching a show without any thought whatsoever, what are the benefits? Well, other than getting you to a place where you’re done vegetating and ready to learn something new, there aren’t any.
Trying new things
People often relegate themselves to scrolling endlessly on their phones for hours because they think there’s nothing better to do. For starters, if you must be on your phone, there are apps for puzzles and even brain games to enhance your memory. But let’s look past the screen.
When’s the last time you learned how to play a new sport or uncovered something you were good at doing? What about learning to play chess or make origami? Maybe you’ve always wanted to draw, paint, or get into calligraphy. When it comes to trying something new, the possibilities are endless. But often, the biggest hurdle we face is trying something new in the first place.
Yet, it’s the only way to open yourself up to something you may truly enjoy. If you never try your hand at something, you’ll never know how fond of it you could be. A secondary hurdle reveals itself when you find something you like. Many people become embarrassed if what they enjoy doing isn’t very popular. Maybe you take pleasure in restoring antiques, or perhaps you thoroughly enjoy chopping wood. Other people may find your interests odd, but you cannot let that stop you from participating in whatever said hobby makes you happy because it’s your life.
Lifetime
Your hobbies and skills can help you get through difficult times. I know mine have. They’re often an outlet that allows you to calm down and remove yourself from a given situation, giving you perspective on the matter. However, hobbies and skills are learned, and learning is a lifelong quest, which comes in many forms. At particular stages throughout our lives, we learn more, and at others, we learn less.
When you’re a child, you soak up information like a sponge. Many people think they have everything figured out as an adult and lack a desire to learn new things. But learning keeps the mind fresh and alters your emotional resolve, which impacts how you handle various circumstances. You can learn about many topics, and not just tangible skills, either.
For example, have you read any articles or books about emotional intelligence? Any about sleep? What about productivity techniques? Maybe a biography, which is an impactful way to learn some of life’s most formidable lessons. Learning isn’t always skill-based. There is information you can learn in one day and other information you may understand after many years. But it all begins with your quest to learn. Have you always wanted to learn how to jump rope? Do it. Swim? Do it. Comprehend astronomy? Do it. Gain an understanding of quantum physics? Do it.
We’re never too young or old to learn something new, and there’s beauty in that. You learn firstly by trying new things, secondly by practicing whatever new thing you like, and lastly, enjoying whatever newly equipped physical skill or mental knowledge you learned. The most important takeaway, though, is understanding that learning is a lifelong journey. Never stop learning because by doing so, you set yourself up to be the happiest, most fulfilled version of yourself.
