– Written by Aruna Ladva, Revised and submitted by BK Etta Stevens

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

The whole of life is a school, and learning is life-long. When we accept that everything we are presented with teaches us something, this keeps us humble and allows us to grow and excel. Staying curious about life and interested in our own growth is essential for learning. Failure is then not seen as the end of the world, but as an opportunity to develop.

To do this, it is important to stay relevant and adaptable in our ever-changing world. Many a huge commercial enterprise has collapsed because it did not have the ability to stay connected to what was relevant. They failed to see what was coming, what was happening on the world stage and their own previous success blinded them to the winds of change. Our world is changing fast, and to keep pace with it and develop strength of character and resilience, we need to be constantly learning and adapting.  This in and of itself is a great motivator for learning, but self-respect is also a driving force. If I am not growing, I am at a standstill. Life is offering me opportunities to discover more and more about how I deal with the world and with other people – if I am at a standstill and happy just with the success so far, then I am not learning anything from life’s lessons. Spiritually, I am not embracing the changes that are needed. It becomes a form of complacency. This is similar to someone who has always lived in one country and considers the way that things are done there, is the right way to do things. Only when they travel to another country do they realize that people in other parts of the world are also handling life’s systems and challenges very well, and they are doing it very differently, but equally effectively.

Learning keeps the brain alive. Without challenges, the brain slows down. Learning something new sharpens the memory, increases creativity and delays cognitive decline. When we have the attitude of wanting to learn something new, we keep on the lookout for where we could grow, and what new ideas and approaches might make our own challenges easier to deal with. When we put in the energy to learn something new and implement it, our confidence increases, we feel less intimidated, we develop self-trust and can face challenges with more power. Learning brings freedom; transferrable skills open more doorways and options and hence we have more freedom. Learning helps us to understand ourselves and what we are good at. It also highlights what we are not that good at, but we can always put in the effort to become a little better in those areas. It is all about self-discovery. The things we learn about life and ourselves are never lost.

Learning fires up new neural pathways in the brain. The Harvard Medical School conducted a study about gratitude and neural pathways. They found that writing down 10 things one is grateful once a week, over a period of 10 weeks resulted for those taking part, more optimism, better feelings about life and fewer physical complaints. They also noted that over time, the brain becomes wired to notice and focus on blessings in life and not the problems. Meditating every day, and more than once a day, is a way to create new and powerful neural pathways.

Meditating every day and more than once a day is a way of creating new and powerful neural pathways. Meditation is paying attention. Paying attention is vital for learning. Contrary to popular belief, we cannot do more than one thing at a time. If we try to multi-task, we are constantly losing concentration and loss of attention. It takes mental energy to create a new neural pathway. Whatever we want to learn, we must give focused attention. The key to retaining what we learn is to make the learning meaningful, relevant and emotionally engaging. Along with meditation, we need to study spiritual wisdom because the deep thinking required to make that wisdom our own, is emotionally engaging and likely to stay with us for all time.

The way to learn is through repetition, but with built in spaces of time to let the knowledge ‘settle’. Learning is enhanced through sharing the insights we have gained. It helps someone else and brings clarity to the self. We need a personal reason for putting all this energy into learning and we are likely to continue when we make small improvements every day.

Teaching is simply the art of inspiring understanding, cultivating curiosity and sharing what we know, based on love and trust. We do not actually teach anyone anything. Our own example is the way to teach. Developing a strong, resilient, virtuous character through learning and application, through meditation and spiritual study, is the way to face the challenges of the world we are now living in, and through that, we can be an example to inspire others.

Real Success Looks Different. It’s time we redefine what it means to be an excellent teacher and succeed.  Real success isn’t about accumulation; it’s about inner contentment. Here are some powerful points that can help us make those internal shifts to create a life of meaning, contentment, and joy:

Happiness and Gratitude. Happiness isn’t something you chase. It emerges when you appreciate what you already have.

Simplicity.  Life becomes lighter when you simplify everything in it. Your home, your calendar, your expectations, and especially your thinking.

Purpose over Position and Possessions Your value isn’t in your title or your bank balance — it’s in you and the purposeful way you live.

Inner Stillness and Meditation The world will never stop being noisy.  Stillness is an inner mastery — a calm that the soul carries deep inside, that calmness travels with you wherever you go.

Sit with Yourself Look within. Listen. Reflect.  Self-awareness is where you begin … that is where you will find richness … within. I teach a FREE Meditation Class every Tuesday morning on Zoom.  Looking within is a way of meditating and realizing your full potential.

When I was a younger person, in high School, my father who was a professional man, always wanted me to be a teacher.  I finally accomplished that goal and I know he would be very proud of me. Teaching, inspiring and also learning in any capacity fulfills life in so many ways.  It makes life purposeful and shows you a very valuable lesson yourself.  If you can inspire even one person to be their best self, you have made a giant mark in the world.

Meditation is a very simple and kind way to inspire others.  It is a very spiritual and loving way to live.

The class on Zoom is free, and you will learn the basics and even better than that, you will learn to calm yourself to have PEACE OF MIND in this truly caustic world.

ZOOM ID CODE- 852 5673 8420

PW –  123

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM MY HOME TO YOURS