Are you itching to learn something new? Do you want to expand your horizons, and give your brain a good workout? Well if so, you’re in luck. There are numerous ways that someone can go about learning something new, and many of them can be done from the comfort of your own home. Below are some of the best methods to learn something new, and introduce a learning habit into your healthy lifestyle.
Take A Class
The most obvious method for learning something new is to take a class. There’s a good chance classes are being offered in your area – whether it is at a local community college, a high school, or a recreation center – and they likely cover a wide range of topics. If there is something you are interested in learning, and you find a classroom setting to be beneficial to you, then see what is being offered in your area.
Attending a class in person is not your only option though. There are many websites that offer online classes, some of them for free. Through these sites you can find a topic that interests you, look at all of the course materials, and learn at your own pace. Some of them even offer certifications, if the class is relevant towards your career. You can visit this link for a list of websites that offer free online classes to get you started.
The great thing about taking classes, whether in person or online, is that you are expanding your skills and knowledge. This can go on and help you in other areas of your life, including your career. You are showing employees that you love to learn and that you will be willing to constantly increase your knowledge – this willingness and desire to keep growing is going to help you stand out.
Of course, you can take this one step further. Taking an online course at a University to earn a degree could open you up to a whole new career. For instance, if you have found yourself on a career path that you are no longer enjoying or feel like you could have more purpose in your life, you don’t have to struggle through. Instead, you can take an online course and find yourself entering a new field entirely by the end. Take the following example. If you have been working an office job but want to be giving back to your local community, you should take the accelerated nursing programs to become a registered nurse. By applying to this online course, you can launch your second career in nursing and fast-track your way to doing this job every single day.
If you have yet to take the plunge and change your career because you feel frustrated that your current degree will almost be wasted, you don’t have to worry. With these accelerated programs, your existing or prior bachelor’s degree in any discipline at all can be used as a foundation to earn your Bachelor of Science in Nursing. It won’t be wasted at all. In fact, you can use it as a way to speed up the transition. You will need to dedicate all of your time to a program like this, but you will come away with so much more than just a nursing degree. You can increase plenty of skills along the way, including:
- Listening and good communication
- Organization
- Teamwork
- Time management
- Caring
- Judgment
- Counseling
- Teaching and advising
- Managing
The list of skills can go on. So if you are looking to learn something new, an online course full of plenty of interesting and informative classes is the right way to go about this.
Watch Online Tutorials
Besides taking online classes, there are a ton of videos online that can help you to learn something new. For example, if you want to learn how to play the ukulele, there are thousands of videos on YouTube that can get you started. There are tutorials on how to play music, how to fix your car, how to knit, and much more. No matter what it is you want to learn, there is a video online that can help you out. Even everyday tasks, like how to fold bed sheets or the best tips for cleaning a pan, can be found online.
If you are completely new to a particular hobby or activity, make sure to seek out the beginner videos. Then, before you jump in, set aside some time to watch a few. This can give you a much better idea of what to expect when it comes to trying it yourself. The great thing is that you can follow along with the video, pause as often as you like, rewind, fast-forward, and watch it again and again. This is the best way that you will take what you learn and perfect it.With so much content out there, you are also guaranteed to find someone you like listening to or following along with, so be patient when it comes to searching for videos.
Get A Tutor
Are you struggling with a certain topic? If so, perhaps you need a tutor. Many students get the assistance of a tutor somewhere along the way, just to give them that little bit of extra help. A tutor can answer questions, and explain things in a way you might not have heard before. To get a tutor, either contact a local college and see if they have anyone there who offers tutoring, or you could look for an online tutor. Online tutors can chat with you via video messaging apps, meet with you on your schedule, and fit into your budget. Don’t be afraid to ask for a little bit of extra help, should you need it.
Read A Book
Of course, you don’t need the Internet or to enroll at a local college in order to learn something new. You can do it the old fashioned way, and simply pick up a book. Books remain one of the best ways to learn something new, and you can find a book on virtually any subject. Don’t want to spend money buying a bunch of books you’ll only read once? No problems – just find your local library and see what they have in stock.
You will find that your local library is packed full of books you didn’t even know existed. However, if they don’t have a certain book you are seeking, ask them if they are able to fulfill requests. If they are, ask to see if it is possible to get it sent to your local library and reserve it for you.
The library is the perfect place for studying due to the peace and quiet. With so much pressure on people to take a break from their screens, too, you will find that you don’t have to put your love of learning on hold just to be able to achieve this. Instead, by going to a library, you can actually enhance the learning experience – reading is great for the brain.
If you don’t want to go to the library all the time to learn something new, consider whether an e-reader could benefit you. When reading a book, you can use the e-reader dictionary function to help you learn about words you don’t know. Simply touch the word and discover new things every day.
Just Try It
Lastly, sometimes the best way to learn how to do something new is just to try it. We often learn the most from our mistakes, and the only way to make a mistake is to try it. Want to learn how to play the trumpet? Go buy a trumpet and just start playing. Or maybe you want to learn to speak Spanish. If so, book a flight to a Spanish speaking country and just immerse yourself in it. You can only learn so much from a book – sometimes you just need to get out there and try something in order to learn it.
With everything in life, if you want to be able to succeed at learning something, you need tobe able to apply it. The hardest thing you will find is being able to step outside of your comfort zone. When you feel safe and at ease, stepping out of this into your growth zone by doing these new things is a scary thought. However, with baby steps, you can slowly grow your comfort zone and expand your knowledge by trying things in no time at all.
How to expand your comfort zone
If you want to enter a growth zone, you first need to go through a fear zone and a learning zone. Follow these simple steps to enter your growth zone:
Step 1:Understand what your fear is– unless you know what is holding you back, you won’t be able to move forward.Is it a lack of confidence? Are you finding excuses as to why you don’t want to try something new? Are you concerned about what other people might say about you?
Step 2: Find a solution–If the first solution doesn’t work, move onto the next. Trying different tactics until you feel confident enough to break down that fear barrier is the key.Dealing with the challenges you are facing will enable you to enter the next stage. Confidence will play a crucial role in this.
Step 3: Be proud of yourself and seek comfort in what changes you have made – the more solutions you come up with to break down your fear barriers, the bigger your comfort zone will become. You must take comfort in the changes that are taking place.
Find your ideal learning style
Not everybody learns in the same way, and these above ideas may not suit everybody. Some may be able to learn a lot more from a YouTube video than they do a book and vice versa. The key thing to be able to learn something new is that you work out what is best for you – no one else. You can take a short quiz online to help you determine what kind of learner you are, or you can think back to your time in school – did you learn best straight out of a textbook, or have those visual lessons stuck in your memories? Once you understand what type of learner you are, you will be able to easily learn something new.
Teach what you learn
One of the best ways that you can really feel as though you have learned something is to demonstrate it to others. Putting on anart gallery of all the paintings or drawings you have done when learning art – even if it is just for your family –allows them and you to see the progress you have made. For other learning areas, why not try to teach others the skills you have learned so far? Talk about it to your friends and family in casual conversations. For work, ask to do a presentation to show your learnings. By talking throughout everything you know, you are allowing yourself to fully understand the subject. If you feel confident enough, you could take this beyond your friends and family and instead write a blog or produce a video demonstrating the skills you have gained. This could bring comfort to beginners who are interesting in learning the same skills as you.
Never Stop Learning
Developing a learning habit is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Not only will it help to keep your brain healthy, but it will improve your quality of life. Knowledge is power, and if you harness it, you can gain confidence, reduce stress, improve socialization, and have fun. What more could you want from something?
Learning has never been easier, with a wealth of tools at your disposal. So think about what you’ve always wants to learn and then go out and find a way to learn it.You will be able to find a method that suits you.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
