It’s beautiful to observe children and their curiosity in all things and themselves. To see the awe in their eyes as they first discover their little fingers and toes, take their first steps, taste their first yummy treat. We are born curious. It’s our curiosity as children and beginners mind that helps us grow and learn.
Somewhere in our adult journey that curiosity can start to fade as responsibilities take priority. As this happens, we crave more certainty and knowing. We shape our identity around what we do, versus who we are. So when uncertainty strikes in our lives, careers, and businesses, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with feelings of fear, stagnation, and to some degree hopelessness. Our immediate response might be to start solutioning to bring about some certainty back into our situation. Yet what if we got curious? What if we gave ourselves space to explore within and around us before we designed a new solution to the problems at hand?
Curiosity can be the antidote to these draining emotions that can also ignite depression, stress, and anxiety. Instead of going to these dark places, we can get curious about our life, our inner being, our truth, our joy again in order to bring light and creative opportunities into our life. If we create from what we already know, from our old programing, we will likely recreate something similar to our past and within the realms of our comfort zone.
While getting out of our comfort zone can be scary for some, curiosity allows us to make it a playful and fun experience. There is so much beauty and potential to unravel in each of us. We just have to get curious to delayer, dismantle, and go where we have never gone before. It’s an adventure and the greatest adventure we will take in life is the one inward. So if you have a passion to see and explore the world, what would happen if you applied that same passion and dedication towards exploring yourself?
Our inner being can be a fascinating journey of discovery. With curiosity as your guide, it can open the doors to a new existence you may have never otherwise uncovered.
Questions to help you get curious:
- What brings me joy?
- When was the last time I had FUN? How can I infuse more of that in my life?
- What have I always wanted to learn (sport, instrument, language, skill, etc.)? What’s holding me back now?
- How can I change my routine today? What is one thing I could do completely different? Repeat this for 1 week.
- Who is someone completely different than me I can connect with?
- How would I normally react to this problem? What can I do differently in this moment?
- One thing I have always wanted to try? (food, activity, etc.)
- What am I most curious about myself? How have I lost connection with exploring within?
- Do I have any subconscious fears about shifting my current identity?
- How attached am I to the person I present to the world? How true is this to the person I feel inside?
- What can I explore in my neighborhood, local park, nature?
- How can I apply beginners mind today? How can I see my day with new eyes?
Change can only come with awareness. Curiosity has the power to be the antidote to the fear and resistance we might have towards change. If there is frustration over life not moving at the pace or direction we hoped for leaving us feeling stagnant, infusing curiosity can bring new inspiration to exploring different potential paths and parts of ourselves.
Curiosity can also help us loosen our grip on our past, shift our mind from repetitive negative thoughts, and give us the opportunity to explore a new future from a more joyful place.
Enjoy the journey. Get Curious.