Continuing education is simply a part of life. A day doesn’t go by when I don’t go to Google or YouTube for some type of information. I’m also a fan of the Great Courses and other podcasts and webinars that address virtually every topic—from art to yoga. The internet has put daily learning front and center. Other than laziness (or resistance), there is no excuse for ignorance.
Last month I purchased a new PC laptop. It’s an Acer Aspire E17 and it runs Windows 10, so I’ve been learning a new operating system. In the past, whenever I had a computer question, I’d ask my 27-year old son, who seems to know everything technical, for help. He finally confessed that he finds the answers to most of my questions online. He then encouraged me to do the research on my own. I agreed, starting with a 23-minute Window’s tutorial I found on YouTube, where I discovered answers to questions I never knew to ask.
Since Elle Gianforte and I have been working on everything authors must do to promote their books, my continuing education has also included information about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). I’ve researched the topic before, and have even written SEO copy for clients, but things have changed over the years and I want to be current. Our WordPress site uses a Yoast SEO Plugin and the tutorials have been extremely helpful.
Every few weeks, I escape to a little getaway that’s nestled between Mount Lassen and Mount Shasta. It’s a remote place, with little to do but write, meditate, walk around the property, and practice yoga. Fortunately, the house has internet, and I found a free online yoga class that I just love.
I’ve also discovered free marketing, Spanish, and psychology classes and have become hooked on NPR podcasts and TED Talks. The amount of free education available online can be overwhelming, but it can also be fun.
If you’re not already in the habit of continuing your education, I encourage you to spend a few moments, right now, to learn something new. Here are three links to get you started:
https://www.ehow.com/ — Do it yourself and how-to everything
https://www.wikihow.com/Main-Page — How to do anything
https://www.howstuffworks.com/ — Covering health, science, tech, culture, money, and much more
Jan Fishler, MA, is currently co-authoring a new book, Don’t Stop Now, Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life (DontStopNow.us). She is also the author of Searching for Jane, Finding Myself (An Adoption Memoir), and has written several articles about alternative health and PTSD. You can learn more about Jan at 
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