From the moment first moment of our birth, we start taking in the world around us. Through the narrow fields of our perception, we assimilate information through our senses and begin to form a unique view of our own existence. When we get just a little older, we start using this information as a template for our own behaviours and abilities. We see those around us walking and talking, we hear the tones in their voices and feel the comfort of their love. We seek to follow, to find our own place in an ever growing world.
As a child, we take on many of the characteristics and personality traits of our parents and other family members, later again from our friends and teachers. We learn to crawl, and then walk, by following both example and our own intuition. We indulge our inbuilt desire to explore and expand our knowledge and experience.
During our early years, every experience is one to learn from, every interaction an opportunity to develop ourselves, to push our limits in both body and mind. We develop language and motor skills at the same time as our body matures. We take in information and learn at a pace and range that we will not see again during our adult lives. At this stage, our minds are open to everything and gradually; we form the physical and mental abilities that will see us through our entire lives. As children, when our learning is still eclectic and playful, time passes slowly; taking in every moment and every opportunity born or offered to us.
When we learn to walk, we do it under the watchful guidance of our parents. We later learn to run by gaining our confidence in walking to propel ourselves faster, gradually improving our motor skills through natural play and experimentation. At some point we stop making mistakes and walking, running, as well as a myriad of other tasks, become natural abilities that no longer require our full attention to carry out. For many, this is the end of their learning in this field and they are unlikely to ever have to consciously focus on this specific ability again. But more than just a practical ability, walking correctly is an art form and a practice that can be perfected; a metaphor for choosing a conscious life. Correct posture, balance and symmetry. Stride, pace and breath. Rhythm and grace. Strength and focus. A world of learning and a world of practice in each step and in each moment.
We often overlook the opportunity for self-development in even the most primary aspects of ours lives.
Sadly, as we get older and venture into our adulthood, with the days of learning to walk far behind us, we often lose our natural thirst for information. We begin to fade into a world of repetitive routine and familiar experience. We no longer have the basic need to take in as much of the world around us, having already learnt the fundamental necessities for functioning as a capable human being. We can read and write, walk and run, communicate in one or more languages. We are able to take on responsibility and care for our basic needs.
As we worked our way through our teenage years, it is highly likely that we developed a few individual areas of our lives that we were particularly adept at or interested in. Maybe becoming a keen rugby player, or developing our abilities in a creative, artistic manner. Perhaps we found ourselves heading down a more intellectual path, becoming interested in anatomy or political sciences. Maybe our skills developed in the kitchen or in dealing with people. Or we become accomplished with our hands or found a emerging ability to reason an argument. Each of us will develop a variety of skills in our younger years, some of which we will carry forward into our adult lives.
At whatever age we finish our formal education, we are likely to head out into the world of work, finding a job that, if we are lucky, will support our individual abilities or interests. If not, then we develop our abilities in whatever ways become necessary for us to maintain and progress our employment; potentially at the sufferance of the skills we developed earlier in our lives.
It’s often around this point in our lives that many of us stop focusing on the learning of individual interests and start to develop the parts of ourselves which are most important to our survival in the world of employment and society. If we’re lucky or particularly determined, we might find balance in pursuing both. In the majority of cases though, we find ourselves falling into employment roles and wider life pursuits that we never determined or sought for ourselves when we were younger.
It’s in this way that many people find themselves doing jobs they dislike or that don’t fit in with their own ideas of their individual abilities and interests; compromising themselves for a rewarding salary or at the very least, for job security.
But of course, this compromise comes at a cost. By focusing our learning and personal development only on those aspects of ourselves that benefit our financially gain or personal security, we run the very real risk of excluding just about everything else. We run the risk of closing our hearts to drive and passion, of turning our backs on intuition, and ignoring natural talents. Without conscious pursuit of our interests and natural skills, we narrow and limit our ability to grow or experience the full breadth of life’s offerings. We must never stop learning and never lose interest in the world around us, because once we do; we begin to lose interest in ourselves. Before long, fading into a void of perpetual exclusion and disinterest.
When we are young we take in information about every aspect of life and only narrow our avenues of learning as we move into adulthood. We end up becoming specialised in only a handful of areas, taking what skills we need and discarding or staying the rest. Just how specialised of course, depends upon our personal drive, ability and opportunity. And yet, when we are children we have the ability and desire to continually assimilate information on all manner of everything, all of the time.
Getting older, we lose the natural instinct to learn; the ability to find anything and everything interesting. We stunt our personal development by no longer paying attention, unless we make a conscious effort. If we were to allow this kind of mindset to control what experiences we choose to learn from, we would leave ourselves with a very shallow understanding of the world around us and so too; a poor grasp of ourselves. There is real danger of excluding so much of life that we are left feeling empty; devoid of depth, meaning and interest.
It is our self-duty to ensure that we don’t allow ourselves to drift into this ‘attitude of exclusion’ and avoid the hollowness of a narrow existence. In order to become well rounded individuals, we must practice paying attention to every moment and every experience, just as we did when we were a child.
Continual learning and self-development are fundamental components to a healthy and stimulating life. It is important not to close ourselves off to opportunities that give us the potential to grow and expand our awareness. There is every reason to develop ourselves in favour of abilities that will further our careers or financial position, but never at the cost of excluding the lessons that are open to us in every moment of life.
We must make knowledge, focus and practice the fundamental elements of our growth. When we’re at work, we must focus on work, make advancements in career skills to support and protect ourselves and our families. But we can still develop our ability to walk at the same time. We can still focus on improving our posture or on developing a caring attitude. We don’t lose our ability to find the beauty in the petals of a flower or in the beads of rain running down a window simply because we have chosen to develop specific abilities within our careers.
From the next moment on, in each opportunity, begin with the basic experience you have and build knowledge upon it, open yourself to information that allows you to develop yourself in every area of your life, however silly it might seem. Do this, and you will open your heart and mind to a fulfilled and conscious life. You’ll have renewed vigour, drive and passion. The world will be a bigger place. Find the joy in life, the likes of which you haven’t felt since you were a child.
And if you get stuck with where to begin, might I suggest you start; by learning to walk.
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