When was the last time you learned something new?
Yes, I know – this email is about Mental Sunshine and brightening your day, not going back to school!
But bear with me!
For many of us, once we’ve left school and perhaps trained in our chosen career, we don’t really learn new things any more
Unless you count figuring out how to use a new mobile or other device!
Learning new things can have lots of benefits though – including helping to improve our mood.
For so many of us, life as an adult becomes a monotonous cycle:
Get up – go to work – come home – cook dinner – watch TV – go to bed
Especially at this time of year, when it’s often dark either side of work and we don’t feel like doing anything!
I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with watching TV of an evening – but it is a very passive activity.
And how many of us only half-watch whilst also scrolling on our phones?
That’s not great for our mental health (but we all do it)!
Learning something new can help to improve your brain health – your brain has to build new connections, and that keeps it active and ticking over.
When we learn something new it can also improve our confidence and overall well being.
And if you have a new hobby, it’s a great way to be more sociable and meet new people.
These days there’s always a Facebook group for whatever you’re learning; you can probably find local groups in your area too.
We can’t do anything about the dark, cold evenings or the persistent rain – but we can find ways to make our evenings at home more enjoyable.
Learning something new – whether it’s a new language or how to take a better photo – engages our brain and is much more interactive than watching TV.
We may even find that we get into a flow state and lose all track of time – something that’s really good for our mental health.
Taking pleasure in the process of learning something new can really help to improve our mood.
And then there’s the feeling you get when you’ve started to get to grips with it.
Perhaps you’re able to say a few words in a different language when you’re on holiday, or you’re able to make something you’re proud of.
Whatever it is, feeling proud of your efforts will definitely bring some mental sunshine into your life!