Is it just me, or as August days pass by do the warm and fuzzy feelings of “back to school” run rampant inside?

I remember when I was in the fourth grade—I had an English teacher named Mrs. Payne. I can’t quite place my finger on it, but there was something about Mrs. Payne that made me want to be a teacher. Maybe it was her wearing suits and heels every day when the other teachers dressed down. Maybe it was her distinct voice and the way she read to the class. Maybe it was the time of day when I got to her classroom… Who knows? But thanks to her I found myself creating lesson plans the summer before fifth grade.

Yes, I would play “teacher” for fun. I didn’t have students (and I didn’t even think to recruit my stuffed animals), but you know what? It wasn’t about the work getting done. The excitement for me came in creating the lessons. I would erase the pencil markings from my workbook so that it felt like I had a brand-new one. I would imagine myself delivering the lessons and taking pride in the work being completed.

Starting from the summer after fourth grade, I approached every school year with joy as I cracked open brand-new textbooks, organized my binders by subject, and arranged my first-day-of-school documents by order of importance. I had this same joy all through college, too. Even after I got my degree, I went back to pursue another degree. Life happened and I didn’t finish it, but I can still see myself going back to school at any time. I guess I’m not only an instructor at heart, I’m also a knowledge-seeker by nature.

I think Mrs. Payne was the inspiration that set me down the path to tapping into my nature as an instructor. Now, as a working woman, I still enjoy putting together worksheets, creating lessons, and delivering training. And as a personal finance coach, I get to use these elements almost daily as I help teach women how to manage their money.

But here’s the thing, while I love to teach and to be taught, I don’t think someone who seeks out knowledge and information has to be an instructor at heart. I think you just have to be curious and open to learning more than you know right now. Curiosity can go a long way.

There’s a saying that goes “never stop learning because life never stops teaching,” and I believe it wholeheartedly. As an adult, I’ve come to appreciate that knowledge doesn’t just come from school. Learning about yourself is just as powerful. So now, not only do I seek out knowledge related to improving my career and business, I also seek to learn more about myself as a person.

When it comes to my career and business, I’ve taken online courses, attended workshops and seminars, and worked with instructors one-on-one. Not everything applies, but the more I know, the more I can shape my business in the direction of what truly matters to me.

When it comes to learning more about myself, I see therapists. There’s nothing like peeling back layers you didn’t even know existed and asking the tough questions. As I understand myself, I seek to understand others. The more I learn about myself, the more I want to learn about others—and the world. It’s a powerful thing.

Whether you’re seeking out academia or seeking a deeper knowledge of self, do yourself a favor and embrace the flurry of students going to class; hit ‘like’ on those first-day pics all over our timelines; reminisce over your own first-day-of-school memories; and soak in this “back to school” energy!

How will you be seeking out more knowledge?