Enjoying Learning Something New for the First Time

I apparently corrected the previous technical difficulties but I had no idea that it would result in such a long email. I apologize for any inconvenience.

I can honestly say that I am enjoying learning something new for the first time in my life. That must mean that I am supposed to be doing this, huh?

It is sad, when I think back the to rest of my life and career, when I had to learn new things, I really did not enjoy that part very much. I enjoyed being good at things. Of course, who doesn't? But I honestly dreaded the task of actually learning new skills.

I guess that must be why I never liked school and usually choose to prioritize everything over school in my life. I know people that had much more complicated lives than I did and got advanced degrees. You have to give people like that a lot of credit.

It took me until now to have this realization but I am glad I have had it. I am even more glad that I am finally enjoying learning. Because I have so much to learn and I am finally having fun.

Today I had lunch with a gentleman that I used to work with several years ago, who chose to move on and start his own company. I was encouraged by several people that I genuinely respect to have lunch with him because I was told that "he is the smartest man" they knew. By the end of the lunch, I think I have to agree.

In our brief time together I learned things that I did not even know that I needed to learn and I enjoyed the discussion. I already knew that I had a lot to learn about non profit management and although I started the discussion this way, he encouraged me that he was sure I was already well on my way to educating myself. By the end of our meeting, we reached his area of expertise and I realized that I also have a lot to learn about Market Research, Marketing, Public Relations, Advertising, Graphic Arts, etc. Most importantly, I realized that I need to learn the difference between all of these types of resources and what they do because although I thought I already knew that information, I realized I was wrong. I also realized that this is another reason why it is so is important to continue to network and find resources to help me.

Most importantly, I realized that I am enjoying adding this new information to my brain.

I have frequently heard the term "finding your glee". This is coming to mind tonight because I feel like this is where I am. I feel that, in this career, the path God chose to put me on after Colleen's death, I have found my "glee". However, although I have heard this phase before, I wanted to look it up before I used it in my blog tonight. I looked up glee at dictionary.com and this is what I found for the first definition....

glee (n) - open delight or pleasure; exultant joy; exultation.

After an unbearably painful life experience, I HAVE found my glee. Today, this makes me happy and thankful.

Why are you thankful? I encourage you to think about it, and vocalize it before the strike of midnight on Wednesday.