Learning or improving a skill for mindfulness in the era of Coronavirus

(Image: Sciencealert.com)

This is a truly awful time. Over 1.4 million people around the world are known to have been infected by Coronavirus, of which 55,000 are from the UK (true at the time of publishing). We have to stand together during a crisis like this and do whatever it takes to overcome it. The extensive list of deaths has to end.

The idea of being on lockdown until the heart of summer sounds lonely (I live on my own) but if this is what it takes to beat this, I will stay indoors for the next year! I am thankful to be alive, healthy and able to make choices for myself. I think we will all take even less for granted once this is over.

We don't need to be defeated by this disease, we can use this time to both self-reflect (re-evaluating what is important to us) and develop ourselves. So why not learn or improve a skill? Learning can be fun and as a teacher I really value the importance of brain stimulation and challenging yourself. It's important we don't fall into the habit of sitting around watching TV all day. Don't get me wrong, I like spending the odd evening on the sofa but we need to keep our minds and bodies active. It's more important than ever that we actively think about our mindfulness and find something positive to think about consistently.

(Image: Mindful.org)

Mental health is something that can impact all of us negatively so we need to stay strong and hold on to the light in our lives. I know it's not easy, but focusing on something we enjoy will definitely help.

This is the perfect time to learn that skill you wanted to learn last year but was too busy to do (or couldn't be bothered to learn). The skill you wish you had. The skill you could potentially turn into a career. E-Learning has become more convenient than ever and does not have to cost a fortune. Depending on the skill you want to learn, it may even be free.

Here are a few platforms and websites where you can find online courses:

• Skillshare 
• Udemy
• Reed
• Groupon
• Wowcher
• Duolingo
• YouTube
• Blogs

(Image: Pcmag.com)

Skillshare and Udemy have thousands of classes available at the touch of a button. They cover a range of subjects and have an even wider range of teachers. I have two jewellery making classes on Skillshare and will upload more now that I am working from home and have more time. This has been a really good distraction from everything that's going on. Not only do I throw myself into the filming and video creation, I get inspired by all of the other classes on Skillshare. The world almost feels normal in that moment. 

Reed, Groupon and Wowcher sell professional e-courses at a fraction of the original price. There are loads to choose from and some give you certificates at the end. One of these courses might help you transition into a new career as many are career-focussed. TEFL is a very common course on these websites, as is event management. I studied an online event management course a few years ago and learnt a lot of useful things.

Do you want to learn a new language? Duolingo is a great (free) app for this. I used it to learn the basics in Spanish for a holiday and it really helped. I used it for French as well but forgot everything when I got to Paris (I think it's fair to say languages are not my forte). The app is engaging and goes through new vocabulary at a steady pace, whilst repeating old vocabulary so you don't forget it. You can choose from a wide range of languages too so it's worth trying.

(Image: Mycroft.ai)

Then we have YouTube. You can literally find a video for anything here and it's free. However, there are an endless amount of content creators, meaning finding a video that fully suits your learning needs might not be an easy task. You have loads of choice though and will stay entertained regardless. 

Last but not least, blogs. These beautiful babies often share a part of the writer's soul with you. Like YouTube, you can learn anything and there are loads to choose from. I have been using food blogs to learn new recipes. This is the perfect time to finally work on my cooking skills. Just because my sister is a chef and my other sister loves cooking, it doesn't mean I can slack (especially now that I can't request food whenever I want, so sad I know).

This is by no means an extensive list but I hope you're feeling inspired by all of the different learning options. I know distance learning can be hard as it requires loads of self-motivation, but it's a great way to stimulate your brain.

There's a shining bright light at the end of this tunnel!

Stay safe and stay home.

TTFN

Shanice x