How to Be a Lifelong Learner

Education shouldn’t end just because you’re not a formal student anymore. Take learning into your own hands and enrich your life with new knowledge.

Learning isn’t only something you do often. Whether or not you’re aware of it, you’re always learning new things when you socialize, or when you’re at work, or even when you’re watching TV. This passive learning can enrich your life, but the results are so much greater when you get intentional about learning new things after your formal education is over.  

Continued learning as an adult is fun because the curriculum is fully in your hands. You get to decide what you want to learn, how you want to learn, and with whom you want to learn. Regardless of the topic that interests you, the time you spend learning about it will boost your mood and your confidence. After all, knowledge is power, and you’ll feel powerfully good with a new skill under your belt or a stronger mastery of your hobby. 

Lifelong learning benefits your cognitive abilities, helping you stay sharp over the years. And when you learn with other people, the effect is doubled, because budding friendships and a sense of community on their own are good for brain health. So check out the best ways to start an enjoyable education without the stress and grades, while maintaining that positive social aspect of group learning. 

Pick a subject, any subject . . . 

There’s no trick here—you have truly limitless options for your continued learning experience. There are no wrong answers, so just follow your heart.  

If you’re excited to start your learning journey, but you’re in need of a little inspiration when it comes to the exact subject you want to learn about, consider one (or more!) of these popular topics:  

• Languages — A new language skill is profoundly rewarding, with the possibility of opening doors to you in travel, business, entertainment, and good old human connection. Try out a free online language learning tool like Duolingo if you’re starting with the basics. If you have some familiarity with your target language already, a great way to get unstuck from that middle zone is to take lessons with real native speakers. You can learn with people all over the world using a platform like italki.  

• Gardening — It’s never too late to turn your thumb green. Gardening and/or maintaining houseplants is a great hobby for both casual learners and people who want to go really in depth. The plant world is full of magic and mystery, and exploring it is one of the very best ways to develop a deeper bond with nature. 

• Cooking — It’s not only practical (because you’ll save money and eat healthier), it’s also a creative expression. Cooking something special for someone you love, or even just treating yourself to a home-cooked meal, is one of the perfect examples of a mindful experience. When you prepare your own food, you’re more in tune with the aromas, textures, colors, and flavors. Check out these quick tips for becoming a better home cook, then take your cooking skills in any tasty direction! 

• Hiking — Outdoor skills can take you all around the world, or even give you a new appreciation for the natural beauty in your local area. Hiking is a great thing to learn about because you can pick up beginner hiking skills really quickly, and do most hikes. But for the super adventurous, advanced hiking skills begin to overlap with other subjects like camping and climbing. 

Surround yourself with the right resources 

Once you’ve chosen a subject and you’re ready to dive in, you can set yourself up for success by finding good learning materials. What makes a book or a class on your subject good is not just its quality, but its fit for you. If you’re a beginner pianist, you don’t want to start by spending your money on a book of Chopin’s Nocturnes. 

Try to be open and honest with yourself about your current skill level, and go forward accordingly. When in doubt, err on the side of easier learning materials, even if you already have some familiarity with your subject. It’ll be much more rewarding to blast through a beginner workshop than to struggle in an advanced seminar. 

Take the leap with fellow lovers of learning  

Don’t let lack of experience hold you back—there are plenty of people with a similar skill set who are looking to improve themselves too. Progress in a group setting comes more quickly, because people learn not only from their books and instructors, but from one another. Plus, it’s easier to motivate yourself to keep learning when there’s a fun social component in the mix. 

Meetup has tons of groups that can help you learn, from language communities like The New York City Russian Language Meetup Group and The San Diego French Language Meetup Group to more niche interest groups like The Houston Crochet/Knit Meetup and the Nashville Stoics.   

If you don’t find the right community in your area, you can easily create your own Meetup group and inspire others to join you on your learning journey. 

So what do you want to learn?