Playful Curiosity:
In Life, You Take the Test, Then You Learn the Lesson

School is where we go to learn the lessons, then take the test. However, in the school of life, tests come first and then hopefully we learn the lessons. And we keep repeating the lesson (and test) until we learn it! In a world that is constantly changing, learning is inevitable. However, some people seem to be more flexible and more playful at learning and experiencing life than others. Why is it that these people have so much fun while the rest of us struggle along?

One explanation may be in Al Siebert's "The Survivor Personality". This book focuses on research of people who have experienced trauma of some sort, such as a natural catastrophe, wartime horrors, physical and sexual abuse, plane crashes etc. He studied people who experienced tremendous pain and suffering and yet managed to cope, learn and grow from it. He found that people who adapt and thrive well are like curious, playful children who never "grow up". They retain from childhood a curiosity about what exists. So, for these people who survived and thrived, they were able to maintain a sense of play, of curiosity, of willingness to make mistakes and learn from them. Siebert identifies this playful curiosity as one of three types of learning:

1. Modeling - that is, learning by imitating others
2. Traditional education where learning is controlled and directed by others
3. Inner, self-motivated, self-managed learning that comes directly from life experience.

Self-managed learning results from the urge to explore and play.

We can learn from these survivors who thrived. Any of us can do inner, self-motivated, self-managed learning by letting ourselves experience the world from the "eyes of a child". Whether we are in college of working at the university, life can be so much more enjoyable and satisfying if we experience all of it. If my studying or work is getting dull, what can I do to liven it up, how can I play or what can I add to my schooling or job that gives me a sense of passion and zest for living. For some of us, this may be very awkward at first. If that is the case, here are some guidelines for you:

• Go slow - this is about learning at your pace, not someone else's. This may mean taking piano lessons, teaching yourself another language using tapes or exploring a new sport.
• Take small steps - remind yourself of the sayings "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!" "I am not ready to hike the Grand Canyon, but walking part way up Sabino Canyon on a beautiful day and taking the tram down is a great start."
• Remind yourself that self-managed learning means making mistakes so you can learn what works and what doesn't. There are no grades posted, no deadlines to meet. This is your learning something solely for your enrichment.
• The best part is to make a list of things you want to do, learn or play. Find something delicious to eat, play your favorite music, sit down and create your wish list.

Learning by playing in any subject has the greatest capacity to teach us the skills we need to be resilient, healthy and happy in life.