Learning something new every day keeps you engaged with life. It gives you interesting things to think about – and to talk about!

Here are 10 tips to elevate the curiosity-quotient in your life.

1. Read books. Reading a book requires 100% of your focus and that’s a wonderful and rare thing these days! Books are free at the library and the amount you can learn is unlimited. If you’re already a book reader and want to learn something new, try a new subject area or new section of the library. If you love mystery, try historic fiction. If you love historic fiction, try non-fiction. Or ask your librarian for suggestions. What are other people reading these days?
2. Read informative websites. There is so much great knowledge on the web if you stay away from the gossipy sites. I rely on Fast Company and Curiosity.com for a daily dose of new ideas.
3. Listen to audio books. Audio books are great to have in the car on long trips and when you’re zipping around town running errands. They’re also fun to listen to when you are doing work that involves your hands but not your brain. Every time I get in the car, I’m excited someone is going to tell me a story or teach me something new. Audio books are expensive to buy, but you can get audio books for free at most libraries.
4. Listen to podcasts. More and more podcasts are being produced, and most are part of a series – so if you find one you love there are usually others you’ll love in the same program. You can download podcasts to your phone and access them in the car via your AUX channel, listen to them as you walk or run, or listen to them on your computer. I’ve been loving Elizabeth Gilbert’s Magic Lessons podcasts. The Good Life Project is equally inspiring.
5. Take a class. I love in-person classes, but on-line classes are great too for a pop of learning. YouTube has a wealth of free classes, and many big universities offer free classes. Google a wild idea for a class and see what you find.
6. Pay attention to the people in your life. How well do you know the people you see and talk to every day? What can you learn from how they live their lives? Being observant is a great way to learn. Stop and think. Ponder. What’s interesting about the people you interact with every day?
7. Ask questions. Have you ever asked your elderly neighbor how long they’ve lived in the neighborhood? Or asked the young person who checks out your groceries where they grew up? Or how about the quiet person in your office – have you ever asked them anything? Everyone has a story, and the best way to learn someone’s story is to ask a question, listen to the answer, and ask another question. Just be sure to not turn their story into your story. This is not about you. You’re learning about them.
8. Try new things. What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t dared to try? How about a food you’ve never eaten? Or a road you’ve never been down? You may not like everything you try – and now you’ve learned that. Or maybe you’ve found something new to love.
9. Travel. Oh, my. If you want to learn new things, head off in a new direction.
10. Start each day saying “I don’t know anything”. If you think you know everything, what’s left to learn? Not much. If you start off the day with an open mind, all sorts of possibilities await you.

Learning something new is a great use of your time. What’s hiding around the next tree in your life?