Learning Can Be Easy

“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and 

attended to with diligence.” ― Abigail Adams

We were all created with an innate desire and capability to learn.  Whether it is learning to walk, learning to talk, learning to ride a bike, learning the piano, learning accounting, learning how to bake, learning to run a business... There are so many opportunities that surround us that help build and develop our interests and skills.  Of course our society has established educational institutions to help us in doing so.  However, learning for me, can be an everyday thing.  It is a matter of being resourceful and maximizing what you have.

I can be very prideful and lazy.  I am guilty of having the tendency of thinking that I know enough or would rather allow my mind to be idle.  As I learned to live a life of value and purpose, I realized that I have so much to learn.  By being disciplined, prioritizing on the right things and having a teachable heart, I was able to draw out the potential to improve myself.

Learning can actually be fun and easy.  Discovering new things and sharpening the skills that we have contributes enormously to our well-being.  We learn in the physical, emotional, mental or spiritual aspects of our life.  Living in a very technological advanced and inter-connected era we have no excuse not to be resourceful.

Here are practical areas where we have access to information that benefits our learning:

Internet.  I am pretty sure most of us, if not all, have access to the internet.  For me, this is the most convenient way in gaining information.  Whenever I want to know something I simply do a search on the topic and almost instantly I'm faced with numerous results.  We must keep in mind though that we need to learn to filter all the information that appear.  Check the credibility of the author, the time it was written and compare with other sites on the topic.  Read reviews and comments if there are any.

I particularly like blogs, especially when it comes to looking for new recipes, projects for home, fashion tips and health and fitness concerns.  I like how blogs deliver information in a way where it is often very relatable and sometimes it offers a new perspective on something.  Blogs can inspire the learning process.

I bookmark and categorize a lot of sites that I find useful and go back to it often.

Books, e-books, magazines, newspapers.  I believe printed materials are still one of the most effective way of learning.  I love going to the bookstore.  Sometimes, when I have nothing to do, I spend my time there.  Just by browsing through books I gain new information and insights.  I have a collection of books that I read, re-read and use as references.

There is a book or magazine for practically every topic!  I learned a lot about painting, cooking, running a business, pugs through the books I've read.  Develop the habit of reading, it is one of the best investments you can make in your life.

“You cannot open a book without learning something.” ― Confucius

Videos.  I've gotten the hang of learning how to do a lot of things through videos.  Most of which, I encountered by searching the web.  Sites like YouTube and Videojug provide a huge collection of tutorials, seminars on specific topics, informative messages and more.  When I want to figure out how I should install a software or how I should apply make up or how to cook a certain dish I search video sites and refer to how it is done.  It is very straightforward.

Podcasts.  I like how podcasts enable me to learn on the go.  There is a huge selection of free podcasts that you can download and sync to your mobile device.  Many popular speakers or personalities podcasts you can subscribe to.  It's as if you have instant access to your favorite speaker!  I particularly love listening to my favorite pastors.  Everytime I drive to work, I make it a habit to listen to a podcast.  

People.  Meaningful conversations, shared experiences, common interests, different activities with people allow you to pick up a lot of learnings that will benefit you in life.  The nice thing about it is that it involves interaction which would help you grow as a person. 

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” ― 
Benjamin Franklin

Once you learn to be resourceful and disciplined, it won't be a surprise on how much you can learn.  With the right attitude the possibilities are really endless.  I encourage you to maximize the resources that are right in front of you.