What does the idea of learning conjure up for you? Is it images of stuffy classrooms, playgrounds, school meals and getting told off? Or are you reminded of times of joy - being carefree, irresponsible and unstoppable?

The universe provides us with learning opportunities we couldn’t begin to conceive, from endless examples in nature to every interaction we have with people and every moment we experience.

When we are pursuing our dreams and really living our lives we learn continually. It is this learning that stops us from stagnating and then wasting away.

When we learn, we discover what works and what doesn’t; we discover things about ourselves and others. We learn from the times we are successful, but we learn even more from the times when we are not.

Can you recall times when the same experiences seemed to keep repeating? You may have found yourself saying, “Why does this always happen to me?” when each experience was greater than the one before.

It may have looked different, sounded different but when you got to the bottom of it, it was the same old story. These repeating patterns are caused by our beliefs about ourselves and the world.

One of my continual learning experiences was around lending money. I would always lend money, without any regard for whether or not I could afford it. The sums I lent grew and grew and each time the impact on my life got bigger and bigger.

And then one day I finally got the lesson - only lend what you can afford to lose. So now when I choose to lend money I ask myself “Can I afford not to get this back, is this a gift I am able to give? If the answer is yes, I lend it happily, if it is no I say firmly, “I am not in a position to help you.”

So when something happens to you, ask yourself, “What is the lesson in this experience for me?”

And if something happens to you repeatedly take real notice and look for the underlying belief.

Learning enriches us and the people we interact with, it helps us to grow and flourish. Learning nurtures our spirit and fuels our success.

The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live.
Mortimer Adler.

What does the idea of learning conjure up for you? Is it images of stuffy classrooms, playgrounds, school meals and getting told off? Or are you reminded of times of joy - being carefree, irresponsible and unstoppable?

The universe provides us with learning opportunities we couldn’t begin to conceive, from endless examples in nature to every interaction we have with people and every moment we experience.

When we are pursuing our dreams and really living our lives we learn continually. It is this learning that stops us from stagnating and then wasting away.

When we learn, we discover what works and what doesn’t; we discover things about ourselves and others. We learn from the times we are successful, but we learn even more from the times when we are not.

Can you recall times when the same experiences seemed to keep repeating? You may have found yourself saying, “Why does this always happen to me?” when each experience was greater than the one before.

It may have looked different, sounded different but when you got to the bottom of it, it was the same old story. These repeating patterns are caused by our beliefs about ourselves and the world.

One of my continual learning experiences was around lending money. I would always lend money, without any regard for whether or not I could afford it. The sums I lent grew and grew and each time the impact on my life got bigger and bigger.

And then one day I finally got the lesson - only lend what you can afford to lose. So now when I choose to lend money I ask myself “Can I afford not to get this back, is this a gift I am able to give? If the answer is yes, I lend it happily, if it is no I say firmly, “I am not in a position to help you.”

So when something happens to you, ask yourself, “What is the lesson in this experience for me?”

And if something happens to you repeatedly take real notice and look for the underlying belief.

Learning enriches us and the people we interact with, it helps us to grow and flourish. Learning nurtures our spirit and fuels our success.

The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live.
Mortimer Adler.