Forced Learning vs. Authenic Learning

Did you ever notice, how there are some lessons you just have a hard time retaining or remembering while other things seem to integrate themselves naturally into your psyche the first time? There are some things - like using a spreadsheet or...algebra - that I can learn, and have learned, but I seem to have to practice over and over in order to really learn. And then, if any time passes at all after the initial learning, I have to refresh or relearn them once again. These tend to be things that I HAVE to learn because they are required by a job, course or task rather than things I CHOOSE to or am drawn to learn. I call this forced learning.

There are other things that just completely make sense to me the first time. These are the things I am drawn to learn and choose to learn. They sometimes come with an A-HA! But not always a big one. These things seem to become part of me and my mental vocabulary almost instantly; I don't have to try to learn them, and I don't have to worry about forgetting them. They just sync within me - forging connections, making synaptic pathways and opening doors to even more curiosity and learning. I call this authentic learning or intuitive learning.

Authentic or intuitive learning comes when a lesson is relevant and speaks to me on a soul level. I am drawn to learn some things because they help me to be more of who I am, as opposed to the things I feel forced to learn because they help me to do a task. I remember the things that help my being. I forget the things that focus on doing.

Lately I have been worried about my memory, and fear that being over-stressed is causing me to be unfocused. But I realize now that it's not my memory that is the issue. There's just so much pulling at me that wants doing that just isn't relevant to me at my core: contracts, work processes, car taxes.

Who wants to remember those things? Yes, they get things done - things that are likely relevant and soulful to someone else (otherwise we'd all be the same, and I'm so glad we're not!) But should I spend a lot of my mental energy stressing about them? Why? When I can be using my intuition to scan this wide world for sources of energy and learning that feed my authentic self.

Ahhh...What a nice shift in perspective!

Happy weekend everyone!