Learning new things is a part and parcel of life. It begins the moment babies are born. They learn through their senses about the environment. Most people believe that true learning stops the moment you finish schooling, but this can’t be further from the truth. Top CEOs, entrepreneurs, and scientists believe that learning is lifelong. Although the skills they learn are transferrable to their livelihoods, learning for its own sake is integral to a healthy life. In fact, as one ages, learning new things matter even more. This article will take you through the many benefits of learning and why you should do it too!
Helps With Cognitive Growth
It is a no-brainer that learning helps you with keeping your mind active. But why? Well, neuroscientists believe that the brain is plastic. What this means is, the brain is capable of learning new things quite easily. The catch, however, is that one has to keep at it. This consistency enables the neuronal connections in the brain to be strengthened and your skill or ability is retained. Simply put, learning new things means that the connections in your brain increase and this is a definitive indicator of your cognitive capacity.
Keeps You Physically Active
This is especially relevant if the new skill that you are learning is something physical like gardening or even baking. Learning new skills, even seemingly sedentary ones like knitting, necessitate you moving around, whether to gather supplies or put something together. In fact, as a novice, you will likely still be in the stage of figuring things out which may cause more physical exertion. As we age, our mobility reduces, and we may find ourselves staying indoors more. Learning new skills can improve physical health and associated skills like eye-hand coordination by getting you to step out of your comfort zone.
Bolsters Your Self Confidence
Improving your self-confidence may not seem like a great reason for learning new things but hear this out. When young children learn new things, they are in a supportive environment, their parents and teachers are encouraging them to try different things even if they fail. Conversely, adults face a vastly different environment when they try to learn new skills. Ironically, the best way to combat this is by learning something new anyway as this gives you the confidence to learn other new things. To borrow a phrase from a psychologist, being “under a waterfall of success” is great for emotional health. What better way to be successful than to try something you’ve always wanted to do?
Allows You to Meet New People
It is undeniable that as you age, you lose friends as they move away and busy themselves with family. However, a supportive community has been shown to improve one’s quality of life. The best way to make friends is through a shared hobby. This way, you will get to interact with like-minded people while improving your personal development as well. The best time to learn a skill was a year ago, the second-best time is today!
