After 7 years from when I first started, I’ve finally completed my Diploma in Positive Psychology and Well-being (DPP) through the Langley Group Institute and Sue Langley.
It wasn’t easy. In fact, it was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done.
Not because of the content, but because it required me to look inward, to learn about myself, and to apply what I was learning in real time.
I left high school with no qualifications. Learning was hard for me. I didn’t understand the language, the structure, or the systems.
It wasn’t until I was 35 that I discovered how to learn. And it opened a whole new world, the world of understanding.
Since then, I’ve earned a Diploma in Policing, a Graduate Diploma in Business Studies, and a Master of Arts in Terrorism, Safety, and Security.
Each step was a struggle, but also a triumph. I still find academic language difficult.
Registering for university as an adult took me two weeks; I needed every step explained.
This latest diploma was different. It wasn’t just about knowledge – it was about implementation.
I had to apply the techniques to myself before I could use them with others. That meant facing discomfort, fear, and vulnerability. But it also meant growth, insight, and transformation.
I was recently accused of becoming “an academic” and forgetting my roots. I’ll take that any day over the ignorance I once lived with.
During the induction week for the DPP, I spoke with the wonderful Dr Denise Quinlan about the possibility of doing a PhD.
She asked me a powerful question: Who are you doing this for – yourself or others? I paused.
I realised that all my previous studies had been for me. But this next step? It was to prove a point. Maybe even to show off.
So, I won’t be doing a PhD.
Instead, I’ll write one final book, this one on essential communication skills for every challenging situation.
It will be my last personal academic achievement, and I hope it will help as many people as possible.
So, what have I learned?
You don’t have to be an academic to become one.
You don’t have to be perfect to make progress.
And if you apply yourself, you can achieve amazing things.
To anyone who struggles to learn, I see you.
We Can Learn To learn!