Monday, March 2, 2020

Learning makes you feel good!

Have you looked in the mirror recently and seen your mother?

(or your father?)

Well, I have the answer!!!

drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...............


Learning!
It gives you immense zest for life when you can feel learning taking place.
And you'll soon forget about the person in the mirror!

There's actually some science to back this up!!
well sort of....it's a bit of a goofy site, but the little video is hilarious and laughing creates endorphins too!
  I love learning and it always makes me feel good.  and....learning leads to happiness, and the happier you are, the better you learn.  It's all to do with the endorphins of course.

but...what to learn??
Well you could learn something new...take a look at what your local community centers have to offer, and art centers etc...there's nearly always a lot going on.  Don't be afraid that you won't be any good!
Of course you'll be no good!!! you've never done it before!  Also please don't think you need something magical called "talent"!!  yes, to get really really good at something very difficult - whether in music or science or athletics - you need the right kind of body and mind, the right kind of upbringing and excellent coaching and masses of persistence....BUT

....to enjoy learning, to learn something new in just about anything is a real boost.  And teachers are very happy to help and they don't expect you to know it and be an immediate success!
Ferrybridge - Quilt made after 20 years of persistence!
Well, having said that I have run into one or two people who gave up on me after ten minutes because I was not immediately brilliant at what they were trying to teach me...but that does tell us more about them than about me.

Martin tried to blow me off!!
What makes a good learner?  Willingness, enthusiasm, alertness, an open mind, and a sense of humour!!

Dancing Trees
Now if you live in Athens, GA...or thereabouts, come and learn watercolor with me at the Winterville Community Center......or you could learn aikido there too!  or Zumba!! or oil painting.  you can learn to swim at the YWCO   or a whole multitude of things at Lyndon House or OCAF or many different kinds of dancing downtown!
Mike...still dancing at 97!!!!!

okay I know it's very unlikely that you live here! But I'm sure your community has all kinds of things to offer.
and you can also take classes on line...I teach here and have new classes starting all the time - last week was The Great Scrap Quilt!  And this week it's abstract art for quilt makers...
Join me in learning!

and, if you have been, thanks for reading.
Do write and comment on what you have been learning recently and the effect it had upon you.

Elizabeth

6 comments:

Gerrie said...

I am 81, heading for 82. Most people do not believe it. I tell them it is due to sunscreen, hair dye, and a good attitude. But it also involves being engaged in the world - taking classes on new techniques, spending a year doing a sketch every day, always finding some new way to fire up my creativity. I have not enough time in my days to do everything I want to do. I bought a tapestry loom that I have not unboxed yet. I found that when I sketched every day, I love working with watercolors. I want to explore that further.

Lee said...

Sooo true!!

Elizabeth Barton said...

Hi Gerrie! You are so right...it's all in the attitude...having said that I sure wish I'd known about sunscreen earlier! but if you keep on laughing the wrinkles arn't so obvious!! so laughter and looking forward...living like you'll die tomorrow, and learning like you'll live forever! Elizabeth

Hi Lee! Thanks for writing! and I so agree!!! Elizabeth

Jo said...

Elizabeth.... my real response to this is did the poor little endprphin get to where he was going?
It was really cute. And it will be how I think of endorphins now. The article was interesting too!
I love to learn. I am a learning junkie. I am happy when I am learning (well maybe in all except learning how to use my new computer... )
I find learning keeps me engaged in life. My dearest role model was my "auntie" She was a contempory of my grandma(cousin). My grandma I loved but she was always dwelling in her life. Meaning when she got older her world got smaller...
My Auntie engaged in life... meaning as she got older here physical world got smaller but she spent time engageing in the world by being interested in others. I will never forget that in her 90's she had my son who was around 13 explain all about how his gameboy worked. He had explained in detail how it worked and demonstrated it. She asked questions, listened and they both had big smiles on their face. I am sure she didn't really understand half of what he was saying but it was the engagement for both that was so meaningful.
So I plan to keep on engaging in my world by learning, listening and teaching. What a gift I can give to myself and to older people than me and the younger generation.
It makes me happy just thinking about this memory! And my little endorphin is marching somewhere.
Thanks for the great post.
And just for the record. I don't mind the wrinkles coming around my eyes and face. It shows I have lived a life with expression!

Gerrie said...

One more thing I forgot to mention - I took a 4-week class in acrylic pouring on canvases. So much fun. I am going to have the images printed by spoonflower and hand stitch them.

Elizabeth Barton said...

Hi Jo!!! what lovely memories and so much we can learn from them as to how life should be lived - so often we forget...
and children love teaching their elders...those who know how to listen!!

Gerrie....I love hand stitching! alas I can only do a little at a time now - arthritis and all that, but I can stitch with my left as well as my right hand I've discovered!!! Happy hand stitching on your own paintings....

Elizabeth