The joy of learning & growing
Learning can happen on so many different levels and the sky is the limit. Nevertheless it takes courage to be on a beginner level, to expose yourself as a “greenhorn”. Once you dare to go for it, the joy of learning, the excitement of accomplishment and very often also the chance to meet new people with new, different perspectives are all priceless experiences.
Recently I came across the quote, "You are either green and growing – or ripe and rotting” (by John Addison, composer) which reminded me of my own quest for continuous learning and growing.
Around my birthdays I always ask myself which new skill I could start learning. For example, in 2013, before being expatriated to the Netherlands, I started learning Dutch with the help of the internet programme babbel.com. It's such a fun programme, so interactive .... and it's so rewarding to communicate with locals in a foreign country. 2014 marked my cancer treatment year which was in itself full of learnings and enlightenment – I do not want to miss it. It was not the end, not a new beginning but an important milestone in my journey of life however long it may be.
In 2015 I set myself to learning swimming again after having been majorly impaired through the breast amputations - and I succeeded! It was a tough challenge, again and again experiencing pain and having to recognise that I am more handicapped than I want to accept. So learning swimming was actually only part of the learning experience; learning to live with a handicap, practising patience and adopting wholeheartedly a new life style has been the major learning. And I have so much more compassion now for the weak, old, sick, handicapped .... I am really grateful for this experience.
In 2016, I decided to start playing classical guitar by joining an online guitar maestro – and I love it. My ambition is not to perform in front of others, I simply do it for myself, enjoying the meditative power of playing this sensual instrument.
Reflecting on my professional life, I acknowledge that I am continuously on a learning journey ... truly exciting. Sometimes the learning opportunities come "top down" but very often they materialize because I deliberately watch out for them, asking for new challenges, voicing my interests and passions, pushing myself beyond the comfort zones not knowing how I will thrive in the new job area but believing in myself and simply daring to try it.
And how about you?
