How to design a path to growth

There’s a truth I’ve been kicking around lately: I’m tired of trying to be my “best self.” Somewhere between microhabits, stacks of self-help books, and endless conversations about optimization, wellness started to feel less like care and more like performance. I found myself wondering, almost timidly: Has wellness gone too far? And the uncomfortable answer I keep coming back to is yes.

I no longer want to optimize my life, I want to live it. Feeling curious, expanded and inspired, not constantly polished. Instead of perfecting my routine or changing my habits, what I crave is something truer: expansion, not efficiency. Depth over discipline. Learning not because I should, but because it makes me feel awake again.

Woman practicing personal study plan on phone.

A personal study plan to live fully

So when I came across the idea of a personal study plan, it was a whirlwind. Not another system to conquer or practice to master, but a return to the simplest impulse: following what fascinates me. Explore ideas, books and skills because they generate something, not because they promise to improve me.

I have always believed that curiosity is my greatest superpower. I don’t claim to have it all figured out (far from it), but my instinct to follow what illuminates my mind has never led me to make mistakes. It has kept me flexible, hopeful, and connected in every chapter of my life.

Learning for pleasure, not perfection, expands us in ways that achievement can never achieve.

A new way to grow this season

This winter, instead of setting goals, I’m designing a curriculum, one based not around productivity, but around pleasure, curiosity, and vitality. A personal study plan is not about becoming someone new. It’s about returning to parts of yourself that felt pushed aside under the weight of self-optimization.

So if you feel the same pull, here’s what a personal study plan really is and how to create one that feels like a deep breath instead of a checklist.

What is a personal study plan?

A personal study plan is exactly what it sounds like: your own self-directed “course” on the subjects and ideas that spark something within you. It is a practice rooted in curiosity rather than achievement: a return to learning for the pure, unpolished pleasure of doing it.

Maybe this looks like a month immersed in poetry, a season dedicated to learning to bake bread, or a quiet stretch studying philosophy or photography. No performance. No measurement. Just the slow, steady thrill of following what feels nourishing to you right now.

In a culture obsessed with progress, a personal curriculum allows us to once again be students of life: curious, fun, and open. Not to strive, but to expand. Not achieve, but awaken.

Why it is the antidote to winter exhaustion

Winter invites a different rhythm. The light softens, routines blur and our bodies ask us to turn inward. But instead of respecting that, we often try to outrun it with plans, resolutions, and excess productivity.

A personal curriculum meets winter where it’s at. It gives us a way to stay engaged, not through urgency, but through inspiration. Depletion comes from production without replacement. A personal curriculum is a replenishment and reminds us that growth does not have to be seen as an effort. Sometimes it seems like you’re paying attention.

How to find what interests you

The first step is not to plan, but to realize. Curiosity appears like a push: a book you keep reading, a recipe you’ve saved three times, a topic you research late at night.

Ask yourself:

What am I attracted to without trying?
What ideas or themes keep resurfacing?
What feels like nourishment, not obligation?
What would make me feel more alive if I could learn?

Start there. Your curiosity already points somewhere; Your job is simply to follow it.

How to create your own personal study plan

Once you feel that spark, give it structure: enough to hold it, but not so much that it feels rigid. Think clarity and rhythm, not rules.

1. Choose 1 or 2 themes

Depth, not breadth. Let this season focus on one or two significant threads. Some examples could be: poetry, seasonal cooking, philosophy, photography, art history or nature study.

2. Choose your learning formats

Once you have chosen your topics, decide as you want to learn. A meaningful personal curriculum combines input and expression: absorbing ideas and then interacting with them. Consider choosing one format from each category:

Input

Read (books, essays, substacks)
Watch/Listen (conferences, documentaries, podcasts, talks)

Action

Practice (writing, cooking, photography, drawing, language)
Experience (museum visits, nature walks, workshops, classes, conversations)

Reflection

Diary or voice note
Weekend Notes on What Moved or Triggered You

Magic is at play: learn? do ? reflect. It keeps your curiosity alive and helps your learning stick. Let the ideas come in, move through you and transform you – that’s where growth really lives.

3. Set a gentle pace

A personal curriculum comes to life through rhythm. They seem like small, consistent touchpoints that help curiosity become a part of daily life. Choose simple anchors that you can expect, such as:

Sunday morning reading ritual
A winter walk every week to notice the light, stillness and seasonal changes.
A new recipe for the weekend
A monthly creative or cultural outing (visit to a museum, workshop, visit to a bookstore, movie, author talk, etc.)

The goal is not to fill your calendar, but to create moments to return to.

4. Stay flexible

Your interests will change as you explore. That’s not a failure, it’s part of the process. If a topic stops inspiring you, pivot. If a new curiosity begins to attract you, follow it. A personal study plan is not meant to lock you in; It is meant to move with you.

5. Reflect weekly

Take time at the end of each week to check in with yourself. You don’t need a spreadsheet or a journal routine, just a moment of honest observation.

Ask yourself:

What sparked something in me this week?
What felt nourishing or meaningful?
What do I want to explore more next week?

Ideas to explore

Think of these not as tasks, but as invitations: small ways to follow your curiosity in everyday life. Pick one or two that you find exciting or just interesting. Let inspiration, not pressure, be the guide.

Creativity: Study a new poet each month, annotate a collection of poetry, freewrite weekly, or keep a journal.

Food: Immerse yourself in a kitchen, learn basic winter techniques (broth, stew, bread), host a cozy dinner to share your learning.

Philosophy and self-inquiry: Choose a thinker or school of thought, read a text slowly, one chapter at a time, keep a notebook for questions and ideas.

Art and visual study.: Choose an artist or movement, visit a museum or gallery once a month, draw or photograph what inspires you

Nature and seasonal care: Learn plants or winter constellations, walk the same route weekly to notice changes, keep a simple nature notebook.

Home: Study a design philosophy or era, create small seasonal vignettes, observe and elevate an everyday moment (a candle at dinner, a vase of flowers by the bed, carefully plated meals)

The beauty of learning for the sake of learning

Winter gives us the gift of slowness: the opportunity to let off the accelerator and turn inward, not in retreat but in gentle expansion. A personal curriculum honors that rhythm. It reminds us that growth does not occur only through achievements. It flourishes in curiosity, play, and the act of paying attention.

As the season progresses, let your interests guide you. Pick up books that appeal to you, follow a recipe that you find comforting, or walk alone to notice the winter light on the trees. Let your learning be personal and your pace be gentle. There is no finish line, only a path to follow.

Here’s to a winter of rediscovering the joy of learning.