What are you learning?

This week I’ve been getting back into a routine again. Slowly but surely, I’m getting the next few months planned.

Every year, I like to choose a word for the coming year. This year I have chosen the word Energy. I hope to focus on the things in my life that bring me energy, pay attention, and eliminate the things that drain my energy as much as possible. I’m at a stage where it seems to be an important area to focus on.

Last night, I did something new. I started taking a Tai Chi class. It happened rather quickly, and although it may have looked spontaneous, it was something I thought of long before the pandemic shut down things.

I’ve been interested in Tai Chi for some time. It looks graceful when I see groups of people going through the movements. It wasn’t until I got into the class that I began understanding how much I needed to learn. There are 108 movements (I’m studying the Wu form of Tai Chi). The beginner class takes about 8-10 months of weekly lessons to learn all the steps.

It was a little scary going to the class. I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t know what to expect. I thought someone would do the steps and we would follow along like a fitness class. I was also unprepared for how incompetent I would feel. It seems like most people are catching on before me. I know that is how I learn. It takes me longer to ‘get it’ when I am learning, and things suddenly fall into place.

By the end of the ninety-minute class, I was energized. It was relaxing and calming, leaving me looking forward to the next lesson. I also felt pretty damn proud of myself for getting outside of my comfort zone.

My Sage-ing certification cohort met this week and discussed the Qualities of Sages. One of the attributes I resonate with is Lifelong Learning: With enduring curiosity and innovative creativity, we have a personal mission to continue to grow spiritually, cognitively, and emotionally.

I believe that there are many ways to continue learning. Life often provides us with challenging situations where we must adapt and figure out new ways of being. We may find ourselves drawn towards learning something new. Suddenly, we find ourselves reading or watching YouTube videos on a particular subject. We have the desire to learn more.

The challenge can be a resistance to feeling incompetent that intensifies as we age. One of my grandchildren took synchronized swimming this fall. She invited the entire family to her final performance. Unfortunately, she was the only one who showed up in her class that night. Undaunted, when her instructors offered to do the routine with her, she confidently announced she would perform it solo. She swam out to the middle of the pool with a big smile and went through the routine. Everyone in all the classes at the pool cheered loudly for her.

I want to have the same approach to learning as my granddaughter. “Look at me! I’m doing Tai Chi!”