Friday 29 March 2013

Living and Learning



I read this quote this past week and it is stuck in my mind!   As spring comes, I am thinking about re-awakening my mind and body.  It is a time of renewal for many people.   We spring clean our houses, garages, maybe your body - but how about your mind?  How active has it been - or when is the last time you upgraded and re-awoken your mind.

Maybe we focus on this more in the fall when much of the population is heading to school.  As we spring into action this season, consider renewing yourself by trying something new and bringing yourself back to being passionately curious.

1. TED(x) Talks

Got 21 minutes?   Take a time out, or eat breakfast over a TED talk.  Start your morning with a side of knowledge, along with your fiber and fruit.  Here are top talks about happiness.   A fitting topic for spring, no?

2. MOOCs - Free Mass Online Open Courses

Have you tried a MOOC?  I tried my first this past winter.  It was a neat experience.  Cousera has a ton of topics offered - a new course starts practically each week!

3. Khan Academy

Khan Academy is an organization on a mission. We're a not-for-profit with the goal of changing education for the better by providing a free world-class education for anyone anywhere.

4. Local Library Programs

Check out what is available to you at your local library.  I have taken origami classes, explored career planning and had the opportunity to meet some interesting people in my neighbourhood

5. Volunteering

Looking to leave the world a better place?  Why not learn about your community or city through volunteering.  Clean out the local river, help out at the local food bank.....get out there and learn more through volunteering.

6.  Pretend to be a tourist in your own city

Date your city.  Get to know more about it's history and the people that walked down Main Street many decades ago.

7.  Trade a skill

Want to pick up a new hobby or skill?  Maybe you don't have the cash flow? Try Swap City  or Trade School each of these organizations runs using a barter system.


8.  Look  in your drawers

Hobby drawers - or maybe in your junk drawer or down in the basement you have a box or bin of forgotten hobbies.  Did you take up cross stitch, or  maybe stamping?   Bring it back out and get back to something that was once important to you.   Grab a book from a library or try our next suggestion to get your creative juices flowing again!

9.   Pinteresting....

You might have heard of this one a lot recently - Pinterest.  This site is a digital scrapbook that you share with friends and family.  You can pin images related to topics from fashion to food, and dyi or silly things like pictures of a dreamy guy; everything can be pinned.   Related to gap years - why not start pinning pictures of your dream travel spots?

10.  Open Culture - Open online sources are developing daily.   Have a peak here.    Loads of options are available as we move towards open cultures online.


Well - as you start to consider your plan for spring renewal in your home -think about spring cleaning your mind!   So, at the dinner table you can ask the time old question:  What did you learn today?

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