Every Day Is A School Day
The phrase “every day is a school day” means that learning is a continuous process throughout life, not just confined to formal education or school. It suggests that we can always gain knowledge and experience from various interactions and situation.
I notice this phrase a lot, I have indeed used it myself numerous times and in a variety of situations. Sometimes, I must admit with a hint of sarcasm attached!
Do you remember what it was like to learn at school?
We sort of took it for granted, didn’t we? After all, that was probably the only thing we had to think about. And rightly so.
Learning as an adult can be a tricky thing; however, if you hold with the idea that we are never the finished article, I guess you could say that we are always learning just not in the conventional sense of being at school. How does this concept make you feel?
For some people, it can seem like a weakness. You know, people will say things like “I expected to be in a better place by now” this may be refereeing to financial situation, relationships, work or some other aspect of general life, but it all echoes similar sentiments and feelings such as dismay, disappointment, frustration and disbelief, usually borne of not understanding.
For others it’s seen as a strength, but things just get in the way. There’s always the time element but then others like not knowing where to start, why you’re doing it and what will it achieve anyway?
Here is some information about learning:
Humans learn through a complex mix of cognitive, emotional, social, and environmental processes. At its core, learning involves acquiring new knowledge, skills, behaviours, or attitudes through experience, study, or instruction.
1) Experience and Observation
Learning often starts with exposure—seeing, hearing, or doing something new. Observation, especially in early childhood, plays a major role. Kids, for example, learn language by mimicking adults and reacting to feedback.
2) Repetition and Practice
Repeating an activity or recalling information strengthens the neural pathways in the brain, helping to solidify new skills and knowledge. This is why consistent practice is critical in everything from math to music.
3) Feedback and Adaptation
Learning is reinforced through feedback. Whether it’s a teacher correcting a mistake or a failed attempt prompting a new strategy, feedback helps refine understanding.
4) Reflection and Critical Thinking
Reflecting on experiences allows people to analyse what they did, what worked, and what could improve. This deeper level of thinking transforms surface learning into something more permanent and meaningful
5) Social Interaction
Humans are social learners. Discussions, collaboration, and teaching others all deepen learning by allowing individuals to explore different perspectives and apply knowledge in new ways.
Being able to feel equal to the tasks ahead of us improves our confidence, motivation and independence. This growth is often demonstrated in the thought process we experience alongside the ability to make decisions and take action. The enhanced critical thinking and clear judgement can lead to better choices in life, work and relationships.
Learning something new often feels rewarding and can provide a sense of accomplishment.
The more you know, the more dots you can connect—often leading to new ideas, inventions, and creative breakthroughs. The benefit is that you feel that you can make a difference, you can contribute, and this all helps with our sense of belonging and safety.
Education and skill development open job opportunities and empower people to improve their life circumstances.
In short, I think we can agree that learning is a good thing. It is helpful in many ways and is to be encouraged in ourselves and those around us.
So why is it difficult?
Some things that make the whole learning process difficult may come as a bit of a surprise!
As learning individuals, we can experience something called cognitive overload. This is when too much information comes at once and it can potentially overwhelm the brain, making it hard to process or remember what’s being learned. That’s why ‘bitesize’ chunks of information and learning work better as it gives the brain time to digest and process it.
If you didn’t have or are not having a very positive experience in school, this can lead to a distinct lack of motivation. You may find it hard to see the value in learning something, not be able to see any benefit to yourself or feel like it isn’t relevant or fear that you won’t succeed. Anxiety and fear of making mistakes can block the willingness to try, which is a key part of learning.
If someone doesn’t see the value in learning something, they’re less likely to engage deeply or retain it.
Going back to your experience at school, if you were a victim of poor teaching or an uninspiring environment then learning becomes trickier. Information may not have been presented clearly, or in a way that was useful to you. The environment may have held distractions or felt unsafe.
These issues can aggravate biological factors such as dyslexia, neurodiversity, emotional problems such as difficulties at home, not getting enough sleep, etc. All of these can, and do have a negative impact on our learning capacity.
Therapy is not necessarily the whole answer, however, being in therapy can significantly support and enhance learning—not just in the academic sense, but in broader personal, emotional, and social ways. Here’s how:
1) Increases Self-Awareness
Therapy sessions can assist in a better understanding of self. It can provide an insight into how and why you may feel, think and behave. This self-awareness is crucial for learning because it helps you to recognise patterns of behaviour or thoughts that are not helpful. It can uncover ‘mistaken beliefs’ which are beliefs we hold about ourselves that may not be strictly true but are preventing us from moving forward all the same.
Working on self-awareness also can help us notice more of our emotional state and how this may impact on concentration, focus, creativity, problem solving and motivation.
When you know yourself better, you can tailor how you approach learning in a way that actually works for you.
2) Improves Emotional Regulation
Learning is easier when you’re emotionally balanced. Therapy sessions can highlight some ways to better respond to emotional imbalance. Some frequently discussed issues are around managing stress and anxiety (especially test anxiety or performance pressure), coping with frustration when things get hard and building resilience—so setbacks don’t stop you from continuing to learn.
Basically, therapy strengthens your emotional “muscles,” which support persistence and a growth mindset.
3) Builds Confidence and Reduces Fear of Failure
Therapy can shift how you interpret challenges. Instead of seeing failure as a reflection of your worth, you start to see it as part of the learning process. This makes it easier to:
- Take risks
- Ask questions
- Try new things without shame or self-judgement
Confidence is a huge driver of curiosity and motivation, both of which fuel learning.
4) Enhances Focus and Mental Clarity
Working through trauma, stress, or internal conflict in therapy can clear up mental bandwidth. When you’re not spending so much energy managing emotional pain, your brain is more available for learning, remembering, and problem-solving.
5) Encourages Reflective Thinking
Therapists often guide you to reflect on your experiences, choices, and thought patterns—skills that are directly transferable to learning. Reflection deepens understanding and helps you make meaningful connections between what you’re learning and your life.
6) Helps Unlearn Limiting Beliefs
Sometimes what blocks learning isn’t lack of skill—it’s a belief like: “I’m just not good at maths.” Or “I’m too old to change.” Or even, “I’m not creative.”
Therapy helps challenge and reframe these beliefs so you’re not mentally sabotaging your own growth.
So, while therapy isn’t a classroom, it creates the inner environment where learning—of all kinds—can thrive. It removes emotional roadblocks, helps rewire limiting thoughts, and strengthens the mental flexibility that learning demands.
As a parent or carer, we know how important it is to create an environment where children and young people are encouraged to learn and supported to grow in an organic and natural way.
It worries many parents that they become too stuck in their ways, respond badly to adversity or let stress become a real problem and that this is witnessed and absorb by those young minds around us.
It is also an issue if your own experience of being parent was lacking in some way, and you are determined not to make the same mistakes with your own children.
The thing is kids are adaptable but the thrive on familiarity and routine. Kids who feel safe will grow, and you will have the pleasure of being a part of this amazing process!
Join me in July and August for these unique relationship strengthening sessions!
Child and parent sessions available throughout the summer school holidays. Block of 3 sessions £149. Learn together, grow together and be better together.
Contact me – enquiries@susangraingertherapy.co.uk
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