Lifelong Learning

With the economic downturn, many people are choosing to go back to school in hopes of making themselves more marketable in a tough job market. But of course not everyone can afford to go back to school, nor does everyone want to go back to writing papers and listening to lectures. Regardless of whether one is in school or not, what is important is to keep learning.

Lifelong learning is the idea that if people continue to learn new things throughout their lives, they will be able to keep their minds sharp and deal with change better. It is based on the belief that learning and education are related to life as a whole and not just experiences inside of educational institutions (schools, colleges).

While financial markets can go up and down, the one thing that is constant is change. Things are always changing around us—remember the cordless phone and the VCR? Playing a new game or volunteering and meeting new people are both examples of ways to continue learning after you’ve left the classroom.

Other ways to continue the process of lifelong learning:

• Go to the library and check out books on a subject you’ve always been interested in but never had the chance to learn about.
• Get together with some friends and learn to cook a new dish.
• Spend some time outside learning about nature; plant a garden.
• Teach something to someone else; you may have friends or family members who can benefit from your knowledge of sewing or doing home repairs.
  

And while on the subject of change, it’s important to remember that even our knowledge of the human body is changing. That’s why it is important to keep updated through websites, such as this one, as well as to get regular check ups. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment at one of our medical centers, click here.