Learning
This past week I had the opportunity to travel to Asia to work with some of our staff and partners. It was a great week of engaging with people, but a highlight of the week was a one-day basic business seminar we did for a group of 50 women and 5 men. Each of these people want to change their future by operating their own, successful business.
As we gathered together, there was excitement! This was an opportunity to learn from others, to talk with people that are in the same situation, and a chance to ask some questions.
The day went well and we had a good group of people teaching and training and guiding conversations.
As I traveled home following the seminar, I was encouraged by the people's desire for learning. There was a HUNGER for learning, a desire to improve themselves and to help themselves move forward.
It's been a long time since I had a true hunger to learn.
I've been out of school for a long time, and it's easy to get comfortable with what you know. It's easy to not push yourself or stretch yourself into new things.
I want to encourage you to try something new!
Currently I'm engaged in a a 6-month online course that is challenging and demanding and rewarding at the same time. While I have to fight to put the time into it, I see results as I learn and am challenged in new things.
Here are some ways to do that:
Read a book outside of your area of interest. Try something random and different.
Take a free online course just for fun. You'll find many different themes and topics available.
Look at a local college or university and audit a class in an area of interest.
Find someone you look up to for their accomplishments in a certain field, and ask them to teach you a little bit about it.
Choose a topic and do some exhaustive research on that topic at the library, and write down the things you learn.
Listen to different podcasts or read blog posts around an area of "curiosity", not your expertise
There are lot's of ways to learn. I encourage you to not use the excuse of your lack of "time and energy" as a reason for not learning.
We all can learn something new!
