Tonight, I’m graduating from my paralegal certificate program! In honor of this, the topic of the day is being a lifelong learner! I know that even though school is over for me (at least for now), my learning journey certainly isn’t. If you’ve ever heard the song New Romantics by Taylor Swift (which was my jam in spring 2016), you might recall the lyric, “Honey, life is just a classroom.” That sentiment truly couldn’t be more accurate! There’s also the common saying, “you learn something new everyday.” Whether you realize it or not, you’re always absorbing new information, perspectives, stories, experiences (that’s a biggie), etc. If you’ve never thought of yourself as a lifelong learner, let’s delve into the significance of this title and how you can embody it!
By the logic that you learn something new everyday, that defines you as a lifelong learner, in and of itself! Again, it might be years or even decades since you last stepped foot in a classroom. But what if life is the greatest classroom you could ever learn in? Think of the last time any of these things happened to you…
- You consumed content (ex: social media content, a show, movie, book, podcast, etc.),
- had a conversation with someone,
- OR a significant event occurred in your life (ex: a breakup, new relationship, career change, etc.)…
…that taught you new information or shaped your perspective on something.
Learning isn’t just for the sake of acquiring new facts. It’s just as much for the sake of changing the lens through which you see life. It’s okay—and in fact, a good thing—for your beliefs, perspectives, goals, desires, etc. to evolve the more you learn. If it makes sense and feels right in your gut, not just because you heard or read it somewhere, you’re probably onto something!
The third item on the list above tends to be the most educational and impactful. Nothing will teach you in quite the same way as experience. And the craziest thing about that is that you probably didn’t seek any given life experience out just for the learning element of it! In some cases, the experience in question is one that you would’ve rather skipped. But ultimately, you were meant to go through it so that you could grow through it! The more you learned from it, the more you have to offer the world, the people in your life, your future endeavors, yourself, etc. This is one of the greatest takeaways we can possibly gain from a difficult experience. Realizing that it wasn’t for nothing can give us much more peace of mind.
If you’ve been looking for tangible ways to step into your “lifelong learner” identity, look no further than these tips!
1- Consume educational and/or thought-provoking content.
This certainly doesn’t have to be limited to knowledge you’d find in a textbook or knowledge that pertains to your career path. It can simply teach you new, constructive ways of thinking and living. My hope is that this blog is an example of that content for you! Other forms of content can include podcasts, social media accounts, online courses, the list goes on. Ultimately, if certain content makes you wiser in a way that feels meaningful to you, it’s worth adding to your roster!
2- Open yourself up to new knowledge across the board, even in your area(s) of expertise.
You could be incredibly well-versed in a certain topic and yet still be constantly learning more about it. Maybe it’s your line of work, your area of study in school, or just a topic that’s always interested you. As proud as you should be of how knowledgeable you already are on the subject, it’s only natural not to know it all. Admitting that you don’t yet know something about your area of expertise doesn’t make you any less of an expert. In fact, it makes you confident enough in your expertise to acknowledge its limits and room for expansion. Point #3 on my post 7 Manifestations of Confidence + How to Embody Them discusses the relationship between confidence and humility in greater depth!
3- Deepen your current relationships by having conversations that go beneath the surface.
Some of the best conversations we have with people are those that really make us think and analyze. If your default topic has been the weather (or anything in that realm), shake things up a bit. Even talking about your favorite TV show can spark new food for thought. You can talk about how the characters handled their situations and whether or not you’d handle them similarly. Whatever the case may be, if it exposes you to a new perspective or makes you think more deeply, that’s a great start!
4- Meet new people.
If you consistently only talk to the same 5 people, of course you can still learn from and with them, but certain periods of time may feel dry on this front. Each new person you meet, you can learn something new from. That doesn’t mean you should let just anybody new into your life just for the sake of learning something from them (lol). It just means, remain open to connecting with new people who you could see being good fits for you. Have more thought-provoking conversations when the opportunities arise. Let them share their knowledge, wisdom, and experiences with you, as you share yours with them!
5- Visit new places.
This doesn’t necessarily have to mean traveling, though it absolutely can. It can be as simple as going to a new coffee shop in your area. That menu board could list drinks you’ve never heard of before, and one of them could become your new favorite! On a larger scale, traveling (even locally) can expose you to a whole new world you never knew. Take in the sights, sounds, scents, etc. Let the newness of your surroundings inspire you!
6- Reflect on your life experiences, and extract lessons from them.
Reflection, as long as it is done constructively, helps us grow, learn, live life more intentionally, etc. By constructively, I mean that we shouldn’t be tearing ourselves down while reflecting, as this only does more harm than good. Instead, we can focus on the takeaways of an experience. Whether a positive or negative experience, anything significant that happens in your life has the power to teach you something. It’s just a matter of being on the lookout for those lessons. Journaling about your past experiences can take it to the next level. It’s as if you’re taking notes, like you would in an actual classroom, except you’ll be a bit more invested, to say the least!
The bottom line…
Not only will these tips make you smarter, but they’ll make you more well-rounded, interesting, and insightful. Cheers to being a lifelong learner and loving it!
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