“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”
I’m sure we’ve all heard this phrase in one context or another. Essentially, it means when a person has been behaving in the same way for a long time (and this is relative), there’s no changing them.
As someone who typically needs time to acclimate to alterations in plans and can be slightly averse to major change, this phrase can be comforting. To continue to do things in the way they’ve always been done is, in a way, a safety net. We know exactly what to expect. No surprises equal no problems, right?
But this assurance also holds us back.
“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” doesn’t give us enough credit, it doesn’t consider our natural ability to adapt. Sheer determination to learn new things and reach goals in our best interest is within all of us. We can branch out and discover new skills: whether it’s in our career, our personal relationships or lifestyle.
As our cover feature, Matthew Helfer, reiterates throughout his story on page 28: Be curious. Try.
And have fun in the process!
Grace
