I think we can all agree that this quarantine is driving our families crazy with boredom and frustration with each other. Why not take advantage of this time to learn and educate ourselves in a way that will improve our lives? This blog is dedicated to the personal and professional development that we can do to improve our lives while in quarantine. If you’re interested in finding ways to build your knowledge and body during a time when most Americans are sedentary, continue reading.

Learn a Language

For some people (like me) learning a language is incredibly tough because of the way we learn and how our brains are wired. According to Dr. Howard Gardener of Harvard University, everyone learns in different ways and time scales. As an educator, Gardener’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences has been hammered into my brain by every education professor I’ve had. To keep this simple, Multiple Intelligences Theory is a fancy way of saying some people need to learn by touching, seeing, speaking, listening, and discussing ideas. I bring this up because there are very few methods of learning a language that hits on more than one type of learning style.

Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone is used by more people across the globe than any other language learning platform on the market. As all the Special Forces guys can attest to, Rosetta Stone has helped them pass their language tests for the past 20+ years. The United States military has used this platform in all of its training to assist in the quick and lasting acquisition of a foreign language. If that’s not enough, NASA has been using Rosetta Stone software for 25 years to assist their astronauts in learning multiple languages (Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, etc.).

 

Why Should I Buy Rosetta Stone?

My personal experience with Rosetta Stone has been awesome enough for me to write this much about a company I don’t get paid by. I’ve been able to learn Spanish within a year (1-hour every day) with enough fluency to earn a job speaking Spanish. According to the Economist, learning a language can increase your salary by 15%-30% on average. Make yourself more marketable by learning a language instead of watching Netflix and HULU all day. On a final note, the customer service I experienced from them recently has been nothing short of phenomenal.

Learn About The Stock Market

Since I’ve started to learn about the Stock Market, I’ve increased my annual earning by about 10%. This might not sound like much, but this is only year-to-year profits. That doesn’t include the exponential growth that I’ll experience over time. As of right now, the volatility in the market is going to keep investors away, but these are the times to buy. I’ve included 3 books that have helped me out tremendously in learning how the market works.

 

Learn About Entrepreneurship

 

How many people are sitting at home, scrolling through your phone, and thinking about starting a business? With 3.2 million Americans already out of a job from the Coronavirus, there are sure to be millions more to follow suit. I encourage everyone out there affected by this pandemic to think carefully about their next steps in life. Spending time learning and building more value to your resume might be the difference that sets you apart from everyone else. Entrepreneurship is one of the hardest things to become successful because it takes unquestionable drive (70+hours a week), a great business plan, a little luck, and adaptability. I have included 3 books that exemplify the ideas needed to become a successful entrepreneur in today’s tough market.

 

Learn About Physical Fitness

Physical Fitness (exercise) is one of the biggest problems facing Americans in our nation with billions of dollars spent each year to combat the effects. According to ResearchAmerica.org, almost 40% of all adults and 20% of all American children are obese. Research America also states that 21% of all healthcare costs ($109.2 Billion) are used to treat the obesity epidemic in our country. As these numbers are verified by the federal government, many Americans continue to ignore their physical health for a myriad of reasons (some legit, most not). Fortunately, this is a time where nobody in the world can say they don’t have time to workout because time is all we have at this point. I have included the nation’s top informational books and Dr’s who will get you where you need to be.

Learn About Nutrition

Along with 30 minutes of physical activity per day, nutrition can help you get healthy and stave off diseases such as diabetes and obesity. According to Research America, diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in America. With an estimated $321 billion spent on treating people with diabetes, learning about the right foods to eat is incredibly important to not contribute to that statistic. It’s very difficult to be healthy if you don’t get your nutrition in control and I follow Dr. Rhonda Patrick for my up-to-date information on nutrition. Everyone is different and requires different ratios of macros and micros, but following her guidelines and reading these books will get you on the right track.

Learn About History

Ok, so I might be a little biased as a historian, but I believe that learning the history of the world will improve the lives of everyone, not just history buffs. If you have any interest in politics and how the world works, learning history will give you the answers you’re looking for. As an educator, I want to give you 9 books to read to get a better understanding of the history of our nation. Once you read these books, you’ll get a better understanding of why the world is the way it is, but you’ll also come to the realization that you don’t know as much about the world at all. I encourage everyone reading this to branch off into their own interests after reading these 9 books because you’re going to learn more if you read about topics you’re interested in.

A Renegade History of The United States

A Renegade History of The United States is one of the most eye-opening and fun books to read on history that you’ll ever read. Thaddeus Russell writes like he doesn’t care about the political correctness of modern historical writing. You’ll learn so many cool facts about American history in this book that you’ll understand the unabated truth out how our nation was formed and has been led. I can’t recommend this book enough to people who don’t know much about American history or people who want an overarching synopsis of our history from a British colony to the Iraq War.

 

George Washington

Washington’s Farewell Address is one of the most profoundly accurate and forecasting moment’s in our history. John Avlon brings explains how the 1st American President warned us about the 2-party system and how permanent treaties would be bad for American international relations. This book will give you a window into the thinking of the President and the issues he saw forming that he didn’t like. To me, this book is instrumental in understanding the vision Washington had for our nation and how far we’ve fallen from those expectations.

Valiant Ambition is about the TRUE story of one of our nation’s most decorated and greatest warriors, Benedict Arnold. This book will give you a whole new perspective on our most infamous traitor and allow you to empathize with his plight with the Continental Congress. Benedict Arnold was a great leader and even better warrior that was forced to decide between his future and his morals. While we obviously already know what he chose, this book sheds light on the level of corruption in our nation from even before the signing of the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776.

 

Native American History

It’s impossible to understand American history without understanding the first Americans and their incredible impact on the world. It’s impossible to choose which Native American books you should read because there are dozens that are well worth your time. However, These 3 books will blow your mind with information that you never knew you wanted to know about American history. Empire of the Summer Moon by S. C. Gwynne is the first book that I ever read and shed a tear for what I was learning. The incredible story of the Comanches and how they were destroyed by European Americans is a must-read if you want to understand the tension that still exists today.

 

African American History

As we continue to struggle through race relations in our country, understanding the history of all Americans is essential to move forward as a nation. In my opinion, there is no other more influential book than the Autobiography of Malcolm X. This book should be read by every American because it’s unapologetically in your face and provides examples of racism and the struggle of an American Icon. I’ve never read a book that was able to capture the raw emotion of a man at the beginning and the changes he made after he found religion. The Color of Law is great because it provides factual information on topics such as segregation, redlining, gerrymandering, and racism in politics. This book will give you a much better understanding of why so many black Americans feel like they can’t win in our current political system.