7 Ways To Stay Young At Heart – Part 4

When did you last learn something new? Learning something new could be anything from reading books on a topic to taking a course in a traditional classroom. Being lifetime learners is one trait that those who stay young at heart tend to have in common. They never stop learning new things.

There are numerous psychological and cognitive advantages of learning. It keeps the mind engaged and busy. When you regularly employ your memory and cognitive abilities, they remain sharp. As with physical muscles, mental ones require a workout as well. Lifelong learning prevents dementia and other types of mental decline in older people, according to studies.

Before you head back to school (or give up the idea because school was never your thing), take a moment to consider that there are more types of learning than one. Academic education is one type, and there are plenty of options.

Have you ever thought about learning new practical skills? You could learn to change your oil, prepare taxes, refinish furniture, or be a gourmet chef. These skills count as learning new things too.

Other skills to learn that may not seem so apparent at first include sewing, gardening, and fishing. If it’s something new to you and requires practice and effort to master, it counts as learning.

How do you go about discovering this information? You can use books and instructional videos to conduct your independent, do-it-yourself project. Or you can search the internet. The internet is a fantastic resource for researching how to do just about anything.

You can also join clubs or local groups dedicated to whatever skill you want to learn. Most fishing clubs and sewing circles, as just a couple of examples, will teach you when you join.

Finally, you can also take formal classes in almost any subject. Professional organizations offer courses on many topics. Your local senior center or community college probably offers a variety of classes on both practical and academic subjects geared toward seniors. Experienced instructors teach these classes. The courses are usually inexpensive and sometimes even free.

The most important thing is not what or how you learn. It’s more important that you are learning. Learning is what will keep you young. Find something you want or need to learn and start learning it. When you finish with your first topic, move on to another one.

You’ll always have new topics to learn, no matter how long you live. Learning isn’t just for young people! It’s for everyone.