Abby McCloskey, Bloomberg Opinion, July 28, 2026

One reason we tend to lose cognitive abilities as we get older is that we often stop putting ourselves in situations where we’re forced to learn, according to psychological research. But when there are children to care for, bills to pay and work to do, who really can blame us? It’s just easier to cook the same things, go to the same workout class, and follow the same morning routine.

But this summer is challenging my stuck-in-the-mudness. My family and I are spending five weeks in London for my husband’s job. It’s a stark enough difference from our home in Texas to offer a reminder of what a real learning curve feels like.

I struggled to work the induction stove while hangry children gathered around. The microwave? Forget it. Then I realized I was putting laundry detergent in the fabric softener slot, which would explain why all the laundry came out looking worse than when it went in. The kids and I are adjusting to life with no air conditioning, no car and — worst of all — no breakfast tacos.

. . . .

And it’s been life-giving. There’s something about being dropped into an unfamiliar environment that feels akin to being a child. It fosters a sense of wonder and independence. All the difficulty and frustration of learning new things create an equal and opposite high.