Hey ladies! I’m Teresa and I’m excited to have the opportunity to share a little of my wisdom with you from time to time. Over the last several years I have found that I really enjoy anything that has to do with self improvement. I’m a big fan of enjoying life to its fullest and of becoming my very best self! I became more aware of this when I turned 30 and my life hadn’t exactly turned out as planned. I was supposed to be married with a few kids by now! However, I wanted to make the most of the life I have been given and love it for what it is. I decided to blog about my journey as I continue to search for my Mr. Right to hopefully inspire others in my situation to live life to its fullest. You can follow me at No Leftovers Tonight.
Along my constant journey of self reflection and constant study, I’ve found that I really enjoy feeling educated and able to hold an intelligent conversation with others. It makes me feel like I am going somewhere with my life.
It’s that time of year where education is probably on the brain for most of us right? We are either going back to school, have kids going back to school, or know someone that is ready to head back to the classroom in some form. For me, I’m the teacher. Still, I learn a lot and at the beginning of each new school year and I feel a desire to become better at what I do…and to learn along with the kids. It’s kind of like another new years!
So, with so many people heading back to the books, what about you? Some of you work, some stay home, some already go to school, but what are you going to do to expand your brain a little and explore the depths of intelligence at your fingertips? Well, if you don’t have a plan, don’t worry…I have a few suggestions for you! I know we are all ridiculously busy (we’re women, it’s just what we do!) but taking a few minutes a day to learn something new or to catch up on current events can do wonders for your self esteem as well as your relationships with others.
Here are just a few venues for learning outside of the traditional classroom. You can explore on your own, with a partner, with your children, or maybe even in a small group. It’ll be fun, I promise!
Okay, first on the list is one of my very favorite finds. However, this one requires an iPhone or an iPad. It is an app called iTunes U:
First of all, it’s free! Secondly, it is an endless bucket of knowledge just waiting for your brain to consume. It has courses from some of the top universities as well as some other schools. The courses are generally short and come in varying forms. Some of them are made up of short videos, others require reading. At the end of some courses, you may even receive a certificate. How awesome to have a certificate from Harvard University right?! Check it out…you’ll love it if you do.
Okay, next on the list…who doesn’t like watching movies?Most of us do anyway right? They are also easy to turn on while accomplishing something else, like cleaning the house or finishing some crafts. I have Netflix and I’m sure many of you do as well, but if you don’t that’s okay. Netflix has introduced me to a new world of movies. I venture out more often to categories that I wouldn’t have normally chosen. One of those categories is “Documentaries.” I know, it sounds a little boring and maybe kind of intimidating but that is not always the case at all!
There is a lot to be learned from some of these movies and they can be pretty entertaining as well. You can learn about health, how things work, or maybe be inspired by some of the amazing things others have accomplished! Go to the library or check ‘em out on Netflix. It’s easy learning.
Speaking of the library, many of you have children and I bet you frequent the place often don’t you? Kids love getting books at the library! But what about you? Do you get anything?! There are so many resources there, from learning a new language, to learning about history, etc. It doesn’t always have to be reading either. There are books of course, as well as audio learning and of course videos. Don’t forget yourself next time you hit up the local library. You can learn something new too!
I don’t know about you but I also like to be in the know about what is happening in the world. This is actually a new avenue for me but I hate it when current events come up in conversation and I have no opinion or reply. I want to base my comments and opinions on fact and not just on what my friends or family think. So lately I’ve taken up a little investigation myself. Again, if you have a smart phone with a newsstand, The New York Times is a great free newspaper with all the happenings of the world in its pages. Also, you may Google, “The Drudge Report,” for top news stories. Talk radio is another avenue if again you don’t have time for reading. They are great. Be involved and be in the know!
If all of these things are too much, take a few minutes to Google a subject you are interested in and see what Wikipedia has to say about it.There is a ridiculous amount of information on the internet…use it! I don’t want to overwhelm you so I’m going to leave it at these few suggestions for now. Your homework is to take 15 minutes a day to learn something new or to find out what is happening in the world. If possible, take 15 minutes for each. Then try to engage in conversation at least 2-3 times during the week that involves whatever you are studying.
Finally, I will leave you with some great words of wisdom from Stephen R. Covey. “Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most learned and well-rounded persons ever to live. The entire universe—from the wing of a dragonfly to the birth of the earth—was the playground of his curious intelligence. But did Leonardo have some mystical or innate gift of insight and invention, or was his brilliance learned and earned? . . . six thousand pages of detailed notes and drawing present clear evidence of a diligent, curious student—a perpetual learner in laborious pursuit of wisdom who was constantly exploring, questioning, and testing.
Expanding your mind is vital to being creative. Therefore, investing regularly in learning opportunities is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself.” (Everyday Greatness, Stephen R. Covey)
Happy learning!
