The Importance of Taking Breaks for Facilitating Learning and Personal Growth

We drive an electric car, a Kia, which we bought about two and a half years ago. Since then, we haven't had to visit a gas station.

I'm not sharing this to promote electric cars but to convey a lesson I recently learned, which I hope will benefit you too.

(I sent out this article on November 2, 2023.) Winter is approaching, and my husband and I are concerned that it will snow soon. The main reason we dread snowy days is that our house is up a steep hill, and driving in the snow is such a challenge.

Our beloved electric car seemed to lack the power to climb the slippery, snow-covered hill. Last year, we even had to reverse all the way back to the two-way road and try multiple times to gain momentum, which was not only embarrassing but also dangerous.

However, we recently discovered something we never knew about our car, which we've been driving for over two years.

We realized that the car has three driving modes. It had been in the slowest mode, called Eco mode, all this time. There's also the fastest mode, known as the sport mode.

It turns out that our car isn't as slow and powerless as we thought. It was simply set to Eco mode the entire time. (The car operates with no problem for daily driving in Eco mode; it just suppresses its potential to accelerate fully.)

The troubles we had to endure... because we neglected to take the time to learn about it. But I feel much better about the upcoming winter now.

Someone once said that we live according to what we know. In today's fast-paced world, there's often no time to read manuals or expand our knowledge through learning or practice. We're constantly busy, just trying to keep up with life's demands.

But sometimes, we must realize that taking a break from our daily routine to learn can significantly enhance our lives. It might eventually speed up our progress, opening up numerous possibilities.

So, let's take some time to read the manual, watch courses, and learn the right way to do things. And I think the most effective way to learn is to learn from someone who has already walked the same path you are on.

You don’t have to be the pioneer of your journey unless you have a specific reason to do so. Instead, be a learner and, by adding your unique experiences to your knowledge, create your own framework and legacy.