And it’s 2025! That’s a date that sounds straight out of science fiction, right? And although we’re not nipping around in space taxis just yet, things are getting pretty sci-fi when it comes to personal development. There’s an online platform (or AI tutor!) to help you do or learn just about anything. Here’s a few suggestions, just to get you started…
Armchair travel: So you can’t travel as much as you’d like this year: no problem. You can take a virtual tour of some of the world’s best museums, art galleries, national gardens… you name it. Check out the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the Louvre, NASA, the Rijksmuseum… the list goes on. Just google your destination and off you (virtually) go.
A new side hustle: You’re a safe, experienced driver with a clean record, a reliable car and time to spare. Congrats, you’ve got all the basics needed to start a new venture as a ride-hailing driver. For example, inDrive lets you earn on your own terms and in your own time: you only take the jobs you want, when you want them. Download the app, complete registration, submit your documents and you’re good to go!
A new language: There are plenty of online courses, both free and paid, that will help you reach a basic level of fluency. Then you can practice listening with audiobooks and YouTube videos in your chosen language. Check out Duolingo, Babbel, Memrise – or google the language of your choice and see which platform is recommended.
A new skill or knowledge set: Languages aren’t the only skill you can develop online. Programming, art and design, gaming, business, neuroscience – you name it, there’s a course for it online, along with lectures in a range of subjects from some of the world’s greatest universities. For example, check out HarvardX, École Polytechnique or Open University (there are many others), all of which offer a range of free courses.
Get some exercise: Yoga classes, aerobics, dancing - you can do it all, (it’s how many of us tried to keep fit during Covid, remember?) and a lot of classes are free. Of course, you need to exercise (no pun intended) some caution: without a qualified instructor guiding you, it may be easier to get injured. So don’t push it!
Get competitive: If you love nothing better than crafting a story, check out the myriad competitions available online. Many offer peer feedback to help you upgrade your skills, or even advice on where you might be able to get one published.
Happy new year, everyone!
