Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Lifelong Learner




I’m a lifelong learner.  I LOVE to learn new things.  Maybe it’s a Gemini thing – or my insatiable curiosity.

I watch how-to shows on Public TV and HGTV/DIY Network.  I read blogs.  I love Wikipedia.  And I love to read – nonfiction as well as fiction.  My grandmother and great-grandmother were librarians, so I come by that honestly.  So many books…so little time! 

Once I hit 60, I’ll be signing up for OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) classes in my community.  And – although I haven’t yet taken a class, I’m on the email list for MIT (yes, Massachusetts Institute of Technology) FREE online classes!  http://ocw.mit.edu.  Once upon a time I wanted to be a biochemist.

Recently, I’ve been seeking out online resources to help coach me through taking my little Etsy shop to the next level.  I’m going to share a few of those resources with you.  (I’m not getting anything in return for these plugs --- I just think this is great info worth sharing with my followers – especially those who are also Etsians or entrepreneurs.)

The first resource is Blacksburg Belle’s Six Weeks to a More Passion-Filled and Profitable Businesshttp://blacksburgbelle.com by April Bowles Olin.  I just completed the sixth session.  There are SEVERAL hours worth of information-packed videos, along with worksheets and exercises.  A great learning experience, and worth the tuition.  I also subscribe to April’s email newsletter which includes weekly short informative and funny Wednesday Wisdom videos, filmed by her smart-aleck attorney hubby. 

The second resource is Marie Forleo’s series of FREE web videos.   Marie’s high energy and no baloney approach is refreshing, and her videos are packed with useful tips as well as motivational mantras.  One of my favorites:  Everything is Figure out-able!  Really good stuff!  You can check them out for yourself at:  http://rhhbschool.com.  I’ve put her B-School class (fee involved) on my TO DO list for 2013, since I’ve already maxed out my training budget for 2012. 

Oh, and if you’re an Etsy seller, please check out ETSY’s Community–Online Labs for some great free webinars developed especially for Etsy sellers:  http://www.etsy.com/community/online-labs.  All the webinars are archived, so even if you can’t participate in real time, you can still have the benefit of some great free info.

The photo is one of my favorite “vintage” (early 80s) book bags from the Vermillion (SD) Public Library.

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower


7 comments:

  1. Very inspirational LeAnn.
    I'll have to check out those links.

    Have a great day!

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  2. I agree! My husband makes fun of me because I spend more time on the computer learning about business than I do actually creating my items! LOL

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  3. Fellow reader, I hail thee! Will check out those resources and thank you for sharing them!

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  4. Your first paragraph describes me perfectly. Including the Gemini part :). A library card was one of the first things I got after moving to Durango...even before my driver's license.

    Thanks for the link to the MIT site. To be able to take structured classes and not pay for them (no more student loans for me...) sounds like a dream come true.

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  5. I am definitely a life long learner as well. I can't wait to check out the sites you gave! I love having my business and learning new fun ways to succeed at it. Thanks!

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  6. I'm so like you in that way. I love to keep learning. Doesn't even matter what the subject is. I believe that if we keep our minds active, we will not have so many problems later in life.

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  7. Where I live you don't have to be 60 to sign up for OLLI. at least not in the recent past. I have friends who took classes when they were about 55.
    great resources, LeAnn! I will save these links. I do already receive April's newsletter.

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