“Ten minutes later, I chance a second look. They say curiosity killed the cat. I wonder what that cat was looking at, and was it as interesting as this?”
― Sheena Hutchinson, Discovering April
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day.” — Albert Einstein
Being curious is second nature for children. Babies are born learners, we learn through human impulses and of course, curiosity. Children want to figure out how the world works. Curiosity is the desire to learn. It is an eagerness to explore, discover and figure things out.
When we become adults a lot of that curiosity disappears, we often accept reality as it appears. Most of our behavior is based upon this presumption. For example; "People will think it's weird to do this so I won't do this". Whilst this is true when it comes to things like that of the law, what if we started to ignore this way of thinking/behaving?
When we become more curious, we notice more, we are more drawn to things of interest. We begin to see things differently and use the power of observation more fully.
What are the benefits of being more curious?
Health is one of the main benefits. Associated with higher levels of positive emotions, lower levels of anxiety, more satisfaction with life, and greater psychological well-being, being curious simply makes us feel good.
Curiosity can help to expand empathy, when we are curious about others and talk to people outside our usual social circle, we become better able to understand those with lives, experiences, and worldviews different than our own. Being curious helps build relationships too, in recent studies those that showed real curiosity through conversation were viewed as being warmer and more attractive.
How can you be more curious?
For children, as we know, this is natural but for us as adults trying to be more curious is a little more of a challenge. Try the following;
- Ask all the questions.
- Get out of your comfort zone
- Listen without judgement
- Embrace the unexpected
- Do not dwell on the past
- Look at situations from a different/new perspective
Doing this will hopefully start to make you more curious and you will soon reap the rewards that curiosity can have and help you to shift your mindset.
K Elizabeth xoxox
