By Tope Olotu
I’ve learned something important over the years: learning is never neutral.
Every lesson, whether big or small, leaves its mark. Learning is the spark that sets transformation in motion.
Whether it’s in your career, family life, health, money management, or leadership—what you learn will always leave you different from before. It shapes your decisions, shifts your perspective, and changes what you believe is possible.
When you learn something new, it shifts the way you think, expands your possibilities, and influences the choices you make. From mastering a simple skill to embracing an entirely new perspective, learning opens doors you didn’t even know were there.
One example of that is the first time I learned basic HTML. I discovered that if I typed <b> before a word and </b> after it, the text would suddenly turn bold. I couldn’t believe I had the power to change how something looked with just a few keystrokes.
That little thrill turned into a bigger excitement when I stumbled upon Dreamweaver. If HTML was dipping my toes into the water, Dreamweaver was diving headfirst. I could design whole pages—choose fonts, move things around, add buttons that actually worked. I felt like I had been handed the keys to an entirely new world. Then came WordPress, and with it, many “quick” edits that somehow turned into hours of creative tinkering. And I still use WordPress to this day. And now? AI tools that can do in minutes what used to take weeks. It’s still mind-blowing.
“Even the simplest skill can open the door to an entirely new world.”
This love for learning new things has been beneficial to me in many ways, and it has also found a home in my community activities with Aspire Hub and Tiraka. This summer, I’ve had the joy (and a tiny bit of jealousy!) of watching over 100 students in our TECHPLUS program learn coding, robotics, AI tools, video editing and storytelling, and design thinking, in addition to life skills in leadership, money management and health – skills I wish I’d had access to when I was their age.
I’ve watched them walk in curious, sometimes even hesitant, and walk out saying, “I didn’t know I could do this!” And that’s the thing—once you know, you can’t unknow. Those skills become part of your story, shaping how you see yourself and what you believe is possible. Several of them stated their gratitude for having patient Instructors who guide them every step of the way to learn new skills. One of the things that makes TECHPLUS remarkable.
At the end of our TECHPLUS summer camp this year, one student said something that stuck with me: “I’m so thankful for this program. I’ve learned skills I didn’t even know I needed.” She’s absolutely right—and I told her so. I can testify that many of the skills I’ve learned over the years—the ones I didn’t even realize I’d need—are exactly what got me, and several other leaders in the room, to where we are today. You never really know which skill will be the one that opens your next door… so it’s worth learning as much as you can.
This summer, I also had the joy of watching five Students, two university students and three high schoolers complete paid summer jobs as our Marketing Coordinator, Camp Coordinator, and Camp Leaders. I saw them learning new things, stepping into ownership of the programs, leading sessions with confidence, and brainstorming fresh ideas to make each day better than the last.
And one of my proudest moments? Watching my daughter, Dara, step up from being a TECHPLUS student to becoming an Instructor in Video Editing and Storytelling. Watching her work with other experienced Instructors, leading a class and teaching for hours daily for two whole weeks, and also grading the students’ projects, was such a beautiful experience for me. Seeing her guide others with the very skills she once learned here was proof that growth comes full circle—and it’s lovely to watch.
It is exciting seeing my dream of building a community of young people led by young people come to life.
And it’s not just about technology. The same thing happens when you learn a leadership principle, a better way to manage money, a healthier habit, or a new parenting approach. Once you’ve truly learned something, it’s yours—it changes how you move through the world.
For me, exploring new technology started with HTML. For you, it might be something completely different. But the principle is the same.
- Thought: What’s one small thing you could learn today that might quietly start changing you?
- Encouragement: Even the simplest skill can open the door to an entirely new world.
- Affirmation: I welcome learning because I welcome growth.
“When you learn something new, it shifts the way you think, expands your possibilities, and influences the choices you make. From mastering a simple skill to embracing an entirely new perspective, learning opens doors you didn’t even know were there.”
About Tope
Tope Olotu is a certified project management professional, a community advocate, and a compassionate nutritionist.
Tope shares thoughts, encouragement, and affirmations through her TeaWithTope posts. She created Teal Nutrition, offering culturally relevant nutrition education and resources for agile living. Tope also created ITOSugar, diabetes education content that speaks your language.
Tope is very active in her community, collaborating with others in educating and empowering children, youth, women, and families through various initiatives she co-founded, including Aspire Hub Canada and Tiraka with branches in the United States, Canada, the UK, and Nigeria.
About TEAwithTope: Thoughts.
Encouragements.
Affirmations.
I share bite-sized reflections, personal thoughts, encouraging words, and affirmations rooted in truth through #TEAwithTope, where I invite you to pause and breathe, just like you would over a calming cup of tea. You may also want to explore and shop my favorite tea blends.
