Ice skating class

There's a lot to learn from watching an ice skating class.

Let me paint a picture so you can imagine what I see. A big round ice rink with about 50 people with varying levels of skill. There some who skate as if this were the Olympics and there others who resemble penguins trying to maintain their balance. You have kids and adults, all learning to master this skill of walking on ice.

The first lesson is that kids are fast learners simply because they are not scared. The adults are afraid of falling which causes them to stay stiff (penguin like) and not glide on the ice. The kids on the other hand don't seem to worry. They do fall a few times, but they are back up before you know it. But they are scurrying around as if there was no ice at all.

Another lesson is that it's never too late to learn something new. For the longest time I believed that you were either born with talent or learnt it when you very young. But seeing people who are much older learning along side tiny kids is a good reminder that learning can happen at any age. I feel a lot of older people forget this - and in today's day and age, where things are changing so fast, this can prove to be a handicap. The belief that you can learn anything you want at any point of life is very powerful.

The last lesson is that we think too much about what others think of us. You're worried about falling and looking stupid - but in reality no one cares. In fact most people are rooting for you as they see you struggle to learn.

Now, time to hit the ice.