Keep Learning

As I listened to a podcast this week, one idea made me sit up and pay attention: you can’t stay young unless you challenge yourself to keep learning. We arrive in this world knowing nothing, and we learn everything—every single thing—through trial and error: talking, crawling, walking, hopping, drawing, writing, reading, and on and on. The way to stay curious and engaged, especially as the world continues to shift under our feet, is to learn something new. And as we get older, that becomes more challenging.

For some, this mindset is second nature; for others, it feels like unfamiliar territory. But learning something new—what we ask children to do every day of their school lives—keeps us curious, open, and young at heart. How do we keep that spirit alive? If curiosity isn’t our default setting, how do we develop it? 

Although I can no longer claim to be young, what I can claim with certainty is curiosity, wonder, and the drive to keep learning. As this year winds down, I’ve been reflecting on what I’ve explored, what I’ve learned. I’ve worked to become a better writer, taking classes that push and inspire me in a craft I truly love. I’ve taken sewing classes that encouraged me to make quilts I might never have attempted, and to use my machine in ways I didn’t know it—or I—was capable of. And I’ve challenged myself physically by starting Pilates, which is incredibly difficult yet makes me feel strong, capable, and very much like a beginner. That’s a tough place to be—though one I am confident in assuming.

As I look toward the new year, I’m thinking about how to challenge my mind, body, and spirit in the months ahead. What will I learn? How will I stay engaged in ways that help me remain young-ish? I’m not big on resolutions, but I am committed to living an active, creative, curious life.

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