Our Need to Grow

W HO ARE THE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE WHO ARE THE HAPPIEST ? Those who are learning, growing, changing They challenge themselves Use learning to create Makes life exciting and interesting “The unexamined life is not worth living.” -- Socrates

H OW DOES LEARNING AND CREATING MAKE YOU FEEL ? We have a longing to learn and create We are born with it Look at children: they love to draw and paint Desire to learn and create comes from God “I’m bored” can point to a desire to learn something more

Write an inventory of 40 of you your intellectual, physical, and social competencies. Then answer these questions Could you add even more capabilities to the list? What does this list tell you about your ability to learn? Which of these competencies will be most important to you through life? O N L OOSE -L EAF

L EARNING REQUIRES Climb out of ruts What is a rut? Say yes to our unique potential The right setting Become a new self

Learning in School and the School of Life Taking Risks Our own responsibility Growth in knowledge, skills and insight Thinking outside the box L EARNING A LIFELONG QUEST

Write a one page description of a lesson you have learned in the school of life. O N LOOSE - LEAF

Offers us Choices Overcomes Fears Can learn what you don’t know Gives Competence To fulfill dreams, accomplish goals Cope with Change New Friends, Job, School, Home, Family W HAT L EARNING D OES FOR U S

Good Habits Listen, read, self discipline Set Goals Career or skill Take Opportunities Say yes to what is offered School, job, activities, internships, service Be Open To people New ideas Inner self W HAT DO I HAVE TO L EARN ?

WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO? BE FLEXIBLE: CHANGE THINKING, ACCEPT QUESTIONS, THINK OUTSIDE YOUR BOX DON’T SETTLE: SAY YES BEYONG FAMILY, FRIENDS BE PREPARED FOR NEW IDEAS, LONELINESS, NEW FRIENDSHIPS

CREATIVITY A GIFT TO YOURSELF WHAT IS INSIDE YOU? WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS? BRING SOMETHING INTO BEING MAKE A BETTER WORLD LET WORLD SEE YOUR DREAMS, IDEAS IN REALITY

HOW TO’S OF CREATIVITY PREPARE: GET KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR IDEA WORK 24/7: LET YOUR PROJECT SET THE PACE, BE MOVED BY YOUR MUSE USE LEISURE TO REGROUP, STEP BACK AND REFLECT “AHA” EXPERIENCE: WHEN YOU REALLY “GET IT” TRY IT OUT: SEE HOW IT WORKS SO FAR

T IPS TO F OSTER C REATIVITY Give your intuition and imagination room to function Have a creative space Interact with innovative people Ask questions Break out of ruts

Set and keep deadlines for yourself Focus your attention and dig deeply See problems and conflicts as opportunities Above all…CARE

T IME FOR R ENEWAL Essential Leisure time that is not filled up with work or other duties Can recreate us Recreation-if we don’t care for ourselves we will not be able to care for others What are productive ways we can spend our leisure time?

P OWER OF E MPTINESS It is what makes us useful Not necessarily inactive Sabbath: a day of rest for God and us It is a god like practice to contemplate the wonders of creation

P ASCHAL M YSTERY Life, death and resurrection of Christ Learning and creating require us to lose ourselves in order to find fulfilling life Shows us that we find life by losing it Shows us that we can learn from all things, even the difficult and painful ones Lessons learned in the school of life can be painful, but meaningful

R EVIEW Learning Creating Sabbath Rut Paschal Mystery What does Paul say about learning? What is your learning style? Why is it important to know? “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Stuck in a Rut What does learning do for us? What do we need to do?

Full of potential Different settings for learning Responsible for learning “Wonders with nothing” Young creative people Steps in creating Tips to foster creativity Leisure time What did Jesus do? God do? What is the purpose