Learning Life Skills: Lifelong Learning

A mother with an unfinished degree. An employee with limited career options. A young man with an academic dream. A Relief Society teacher with doubts about learning. Each overcame their trials by learning and applying life skills.

Through PathwayConnect’s Life Skills course, four students learned to broaden their academic and career paths. This is their story.

“I found myself teaching my children and husband everything I was learning.”

Lyza Nau had always valued an education. Growing up, she would always put an effort into learning what she was interested in — but getting a formal education was difficult. As a mother of two daughters with busy schedules, it was hard to find the time to attend classes.

Not giving up on her desire to learn, Lyza enrolled in PathwayConnect in Provo, Utah. The program’s Life Skills course furthered her love of lifelong learning and inspired her to share the lessons with her family. Through the principles of the Life Skills course, the Nau family found new ways to never stop learning.

Generations of Education

Lyza initially had some doubts about the importance or relevance of the Life Skills course. Before starting the class, she had a mindset of just getting through it so she can begin working toward her degree. However, that all changed after the first few lessons.

“The Life Skills class was not what I was expecting,” said Lyza. “It really changed my life spiritually. Whatever I learned became something my family learned, and I can see the course is set up to help all PathwayConnect students.”

Lyza discovered new ways to apply the things she learned into her everyday life. When she was learning about the Cornell note-taking method, she felt she should teach it to her daughter, Destany. The two of them followed this style of note-taking during general conference a few weeks later.

“Applying the skills I learned into my life was easy and the best thing to do,” Lyza said. “I have several responsibilities, and I feel that the lessons I have learned changed my life in everything I do. It made me so happy to see how these lessons are not changing just me, but my entire family!”

Develop Lifelong Learning

Lyza’s passion for learning continues to grow with every new topic she encounters. Here are a few simple steps anyone can follow to develop a habit of lifelong learning.

• Start by identifying a topic of interest, or picking a talent to strengthen.
• Set aside some time to research articles about that topic or talent.
• Join local classes to learn more about topics or strengthen talents.
• Find ways to apply your new knowledge or talent into your everyday life.

A Family Journey

PathwayConnect led Lyza to her path toward a degree and allowed her to share her love of learning with her family. Lyza’s oldest daughter now has plans to enroll in PathwayConnect while she prepares to serve a mission.

“I know that joining PathwayConnect was one of the best choices I have made in my life. I really loved the lessons I learned in the Life Skills class — I feel like they are needed in our family life. This program helped us start our own pathway to a better life,” said Lyza.

Learn more about the PathwayConnect courses at byupathway.org !