The Gift of Curiosity
I am a planner. While I can have a million thoughts and ideas floating in my head at once, my comfort zone is to set a goal, make a plan, and drive forward. Managing twists and turns as they surface along the way is not an issue. However, I tend to have an initial strategy outlining the logical steps I will take to achieve my goal. I have a vision, plot a course, and get what I am after.
There is little question this tried method of goal attainment works. What has become more apparent to me over time is that supplementing that master plan with some strong doses of curiosity along the way can offer a faster, sometimes more interesting journey to my desired outcome. Staying curious is about finding opportunities in ways you may not have imagined. It is about keeping your mind open to new approaches or solutions. It has long been established that our mind is a muscle that needs exercise. Just like the rest of our bodies, it also requires cross training and rest to enable utilization of all aspects of our capacity – challenging it to be nimble. The mental exercise caused by staying curious makes it stronger and stronger. Unfortunately, sometimes we can get so caught up in our plan, we forget to give our brains what they need to really stretch.
One of the ways I have found to develop and challenge my curiosity is actually by resting my mind through meditation. Just a simple ten minutes in the morning of trying (I don’t always succeed) to clear my mind and breath, is enough to create the space I need to open my mind and wonder. I find that having rested my mind; curious thoughts will just pop in unexpectedly – offering nuggets of possibilities to pathways not yet explored.
As an example, I recently took a few days off and visited an old friend in Scottsdale. Having finished my morning meditation in the warmth of the Arizona sun, I quickly experienced the benefit of staying curious and open to other ways to get to where I wanted to go. Having tried unsuccessfully for many months to find a dog in New England that met my criteria, a curious thought popped into my head “I wonder if there are any puppies near me.”
Three days later when I flew home, I did so with this wonderful companion I had been longing for, but who I feared would take 18 months and several waiting lists to find. Meet Gracie. She is now my every morning reminder that being curious can offer some wonderful solutions in the most unexpected places.
Stay well.
