Learning to keep L E A R N I N G

My dad once told me, it is easier to guide a  tree while it’s growing to be straight than to fix a grown tree to get straight. The human capacity of learning always amazes me and today I want to write about learning but most importantly, our receptiveness to keep learning. 

There are so many ways to learn! The classic approach of schools, books, courses and classes always gets the job done, but how lucky are we to live in the modern age of information. Podcasts, Youtube, webinars all a google away!  Our access to education has become so easy to reach. I can keep rambling about how I love the fact that knowledge can be a click away. But I don’t want to focus on having the material to learn but rather our receptiveness to learn.

Having done a certain thing for a long time creates old habits. The longer you do it, the stronger the habit is. And yes, repetition and practice is the key to success, but I believe sometimes we become so focused in our knowledge and habits that we become convinced we are doing things “right” and when someone comes to show us how to do the same thing in a different way, sometimes the real right way, we close ourselves and we neglect to learn.

I have a big GUILTY on my forehead. During the last few years, I came to realize that by just hearing people out and taking a glance at another point of view, will sometimes benefit my craft. I have accepted that I am not always right and hearing people out can greatly benefit me. 

Now Im not saying to always do what people say but learn to be flexible and try.

Having a career in photography I’ve had to do this a lot! I would get questions like “why don’t you try using this program to edit ?” or “why don’t you try to get more involved in social media ?” and  “have you ever thought about working with other wedding vendors?”. These are questions I would get from time to time and I would brush them off. I was set in my ways, “I do things the way I do them and they are good enough for me”  but later I came to realize, maybe trying that program was better or posting in that form of social media was more effective in showing people my work. Or the fact that working with wedding vendors doesn’t just translate to more business opportunities but great friendships. 

All in all, this is just a small sample of what learning can bring to you. Tonight I want to encourage you to keep learning, expand your ability to learn-your receptiveness to learn. You will be immensely blessed by it in the long run.