Try upskilling: Learn something new
01 May 2023

Try upskilling: Learn something new

Join DBS Treasures

Reading Time: 4 Minutes

Key Takeaways: When people talk about learning something new, it is usually around their careers but your personal growth and interests are important too. In this article, we will talk about a few skills you can master no matter what your current profession is.


Most people argue that after a certain age, it's challenging to learn something new. However, it does not mean that it's impossible to acquire new skills whether you're 35, 45 or 50. For adults, learning a new skill can be a way to relax and unwind. In this list, we've mentioned some skills which you can enjoy and share your successes with family and friends.

Put a pen and paper to your thoughts

When you put your thoughts in a book, journal or a diary, you're also creating a memory book. One way of going about it is through journaling. Like Bridget Jones, take out some 'Dear Diary' time and write down your day. As you go along, you'll realise that your diary becomes your private space and you can use it to show gratitude or heal yourself mentally.

Why just stop at a diary? If you want to let your imagination run free, try your hand at fiction or poetry. Write a short story or a novel; pen down a haiku or a poem. The idea is not to become a published author but to let your creative juices flow. Once your piece is complete, you can read it out or share it with your friends and family.

Another writing skill to develop is to start your blog. Through blogging, you can pen down the learnings you’ve had over the years or write something that you’ve always been passionate about. This way, you can build your writing ability and also inspire people along the way. For example, through your blog, you can understand SEO best practices to target the right keywords and increase your web presence. For your inspiration, you can follow the world's top bloggers like Arriana Huffington (Huffpost) or Michael Arrington (Techcrunch).

Get vocal

If you want to learn oratory skills, then you can try public speaking, improv or podcasts. Podcasting is a great way to rope in your family and friends. You can talk about topics which concern you or stories that are trending. Once you record all the inputs (with the speakers' permissions, of course), you mix the recording and post it online. A podcast is one of the best ways to be heard primarily for subjects that are close to your heart.

Public speaking allows you to improve on your strong communication and leadership skills. You can learn to give useful information, motivate listeners and even influence decisions. There are several oratory clubs like Toastmasters International which create effective public speakers every year.

Improv is a great way to test whether you have that funny bone or not. It also gets you out of your comfort zone and makes you forget serious issues for a while. You can show-off your improv skills or even encourage others around you to join. You can take videos of these sessions and share the laughter with everyone around you.

The sky isn't the limit

If you love the bright-blue sky and everything beyond it, then bird-watching or star-gazing is precisely what you should pursue. Grab your binoculars and camera, step outside and watch the delightful winged visitors. Following birds can be exciting and who knows you might even end with some great shots. Become an expert on bird movements in your area and create an online album of your pictures.

With star-gazing, you can plot the stars in your skies or the movements of the moon. Get your family with you and draw out constellation charts. You can even share star charts with other family members or friends around the world. Become a novice astronomer by getting to know more about constellations in each hemisphere and sharing your findings. You can gradually upgrade your skills to learning about the cosmos.

Bring out the artist in you

Some of the greatest life skills come from the art world, whether it's trying your hand at brush strokes or making music for everyone's listening pleasure. Painting or calligraphy are amazing skills to have. As you grow older, you need some mental release and these two skills are a great place to start. If you like to paint nature, you can look up works from artists like Bob Ross for inspiration. If abstract expressionism is what draws you, then follow works from artists like Jackson Pollock. Artists like Johana Basford and Emma Farrarons have made colouring books for adults popular. If you love doodling, then try colouring books by Kerby Rosanes. Apart from drawing, these books can help calm your mind.

Calligraphy is a beautiful art form to learn. You can create wonderful masterpieces from letters from the humble alphabet. You can use calligraphy for creating festive cards for birthdays, anniversaries or festivals. You can even learn a new language alongside like Japanese or Urdu to create eye-pleasing masterpieces.

When words fail, music speaks, that's what Shakespeare said. Learning to play an instrument or taking up singing classes are also a way to channel your thoughts. Set aside sometime in your day to learn, have jamming sessions either online or with family and encourage them to learn with you too.


Final Note: There is no right or wrong time to learn something new. However, you do need to realise that taking up a new skill and becoming good at it takes time, patience and effort. But along the way, you will have several joyful moments of sharing your improvements and in the end, you are sure to feel a sense of accomplishment!

*Disclaimer: This article has been shared purely from an information perspective and we recommend you conduct extensive research before proceeding.