Self-Education: Why You Should Never Stop Learning 

We live in a vast, rich world, full of so many things to learn about. The environment, wildlife, physics, chemistry, people, cultures, religions, food, music, literature, film; the knowledge that lives at out fingertips is extraordinary.  

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” ― Aristotle 

Education Associations – are they stopping you from learning?

For many, education brings up childhood images of itchy uniforms, unpleasant teachers, bullying, exams and a whole range of factors that made school a not so great environment to be in.  

So many people are impacted by this, by the pressure and the stress, that they no longer pursue further education.  

But education doesn’t have to be within the walls of school or university, doesn’t have to be measured by grades and essays. Educating yourself should be fun. Find something, anything at all from outer space to the life cycle of the common garden snail (do they lay eggs? I want to know) and teach yourself about it.  

How do you find something to educate yourself about?

Anything that catches your interest and piques your curiosity. Watch a TED talk or a documentary, read a book or an article, travel, take a few minutes and google something.  

Listen to a podcast on long bus journeys, watch a video to avoid making eye contact with people on the Tube. Education comes in so many different forms, and there is one out there that suits the learning habits of everyone. Teach yourself a new language, teach yourself about the rainforest or climate change or feminism. Find out what food to put out for that fox you keep seeing in your garden or do an online course. Attend a free lecture, steal the nibbles, and learn about anything, anything at all. Pick a topic, a person, a place, and open yourself to the whole world of information.  

Why? You may say. 

Well why not?  

“Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.” – Kofi Annan 

Opportunities, wisdom, broadening your mind beyond the confounds of what society demands of you, beyond expectations of gender, race, sexuality or religion. Learning about the world opens it up to, opens you up for experiences and entertainment. It’s a way of self-care, exercising and using your brain and your memories, looking after yourself not to conform to certain standard, but for yourself. 

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” ― W.B. Yeats 

I am terribly, hopelessly bad at maths and boy did that make me feel bad in school. But I know a lot about whales and folklore, which makes me happier anyway. Educating yourself for fun, above all else, can make you happy and confident and Darlings, those are things we all deserve to be.