Learning Stories
Joy and friends preparing a meal together at Spirit House, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. Captured by David Masefield
What we learn with joy we never forget
Whether we recognise it or not, there are dozens of moments in a day that present the opportunity to learn incidentally.
It could be simple, such as discovering how a friend prefers the milk poured into their coffee before the water or that a neighbour is going on vacation and having someone come to collect their mail each day.
While it may not seem like learning, it meets the definition: Learning is a lifelong process of transforming information and experience into knowledge, skills, and behaviours.
Learning is a lifelong process of transforming information and experience into knowledge, skills, and behaviours. On the other hand, education is just one approach to learning.
Learn to ask why and then how
I find it helpful to pause at this point and consider why I want to learn that particular thing. When I skip that step, I find I generally do not follow through, sometimes at the expense of money or time.
Once I have considered why I want to learn something new, the next question is how.
For me, if what I want to learn is a skill, then I much prefer to learn by doing. That is not always possible though, so my next preference is visual instruction, in-person, a video or even photos.
When it comes to a process though, I love a good flowchart. Being able to see the path that the user or data will take from the start to the end helps me to build a story in my mind that I can walk through as I work through it.
I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.
– Pablo Picasso
Learning to reset the default
The process of learning new behaviours is different from learning how. It is learning to act in the moment. Learning to identify triggers.
To be able to learn a new behaviour, or develop a consistent, long-lasting habit is perhaps one of the biggest challenges for humans. It often requires us to unlearn the old way, so we can make space for the new.
The goal is to learn to make the desired action subconsciously, to reset ourdefault.
These stories of adventures of learning new skills, knowledge and behaviours will hopefully inspire you to seek opportunities to learn something new, and encourage you to know the purpose, feel the pleasure and find the patience to follow through.
xo Joy
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Favourite Learning Topics

ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE - TO KNOW
From reading books, talking to people, listening to podcasts, watching films, wandering museums and browsing galleries, these stories are sharing how I learn, to know.

DEVELOPING SKILLS - TO DO
Travelling the world presents so many opportunities to learn new skills. I assure you that I am not a natural at everything, and these stories share the highs and lows of how I learn, to do.

CHANGING HABITS - TO BE
Making my bed every morning changed my mindset about what I can do in a day. These stories are about what, why and how I am actively changing my habits, to be.

FINDING OPPORTUNITIES - TO HELP
Years of working with entrepreneurs and founders have highlighted just how many problems are unsolved. These stories are about learning where opportunities exist, to help.
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