The days are starting to shorten and the nights are cooling down. Everywhere, oversized backpacks are being stuffed with new spiral notebooks, pens, and folders. Supply lists are being distributed, and syllabi are being explained. Education is in the air.
Education doesn’t stop when you hit a certain grade level or receive this or that diploma--education and learning are lifelong experiences and opportunities. Intellectual wellness is considered one of the dimensions of health—it’s the extent to which we exercise our brains, expand our horizons, and acquire new knowledge. Intellectual wellness can improve and enhance our emotional, social, financial, and even physical wellness. And the beginning of the school year is a great time to consider how well you are schooling yourself.
You don’t have to step into a classroom to improve your intellectual wellness, but for many, this may be exactly the step to take. If you’ve been out of school for awhile, or hated school while you there, or struggled with a particular subject or skill set, returning to the classroom can be an intimidating prospect. Then there’s the cost of education, the time management and discipline necessary to be a successful student, and the sacrifices and compromises required to maintain balance while you expand your intellectual horizons.
But one of the things I love most about the concept of “callings” is that a call, once heard, rarely goes away on its own. If you’ve felt the urge to return to school, earn your GED, or complete that training program, chances are you will feel that urge until you take action and tend to that desire—a desire that transcends fear, intimidation, confusion, or any other emotions you might experience at the thought of professors and textbooks. So how can you creep up on that desire, and overcome the self-imposed barriers in your mind that make you think continued education is beyond your grasp?
It’s too late to scramble and enroll in most fall for-credit college courses, and the only thing to do now is plan your strategy for the spring semester that starts, oddly, in January. Most GED prep or other continuing/adult education programs run on a steady cycle throughout the year, and maybe the first step in your education is to educate yourself on available resources and programs. Knowledge is power, and the knowledge of when this program or that class starts, enrollment guidelines, or actual tuition costs transforms an unknown journey into a journey with tangible details that can be worked with and addressed.
When I was young, my mother took community college courses and on a few occasions took me with her—so I have early, positive memories of being in a student union, and sitting quietly in a classroom. But if nobody led you by the hand into that world, then perhaps it’s time to create some of those positive memories and associations on your own. Sitting in a college gathering spot, learning the names of a few buildings, or peeking into a lecture hall might help you create your own sense of belonging, and help that desire for education grow until it bubbles over.
Intellectual wellness isn’t nurtured exclusively in a classroom, but if you believe a classroom may be in your destiny, this is a great time of year to start exploring those options. And perhaps, sometime soon, an oversized backpack with new spiral notebooks, pens, and folders may be just for you. Onward!
Nancy Goodman is a licensed counselor with an emphasis on life and career coaching. For questions or to schedule a free consultation (in-person or over the telephone), please contact Nancy at 208-406-3234 or goodnanc@yahoo.com. http://vocatusidaho.blogspot.com.
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