“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” –Walt Disney
So often we get stuck in the same ruts of our everyday life. Get up, get dressed, eat, go to school, go to work, eat, come home, do more school, do more work, eat some more, go to bed then get up and do it all over again. In between all the routines we have we make plans for what else we need to make sure we get done that particular day and we fret and frown and worry if we don’t get things done as planned or complain, and get upset and angry if things don’t go according to plan. That’s not a very curious, fun and joyful way to live each day.
So what would happen if we decided to just let go of all the plans and holds and restraints we put on ourselves and our day and just be curious with whatever happens?
Could you do it? Would you panic and fall apart? Or would you discover some amazing things about yourself and life?
I know from experience that when you can let go of your perfectly well planned plans for life and choose instead to be more open to and curious about whatever life has for you that truly amazing things happen!
Here are 5 things you’ll discover when you choose to be more open to CURIOUSTY:
- You’re stronger and more capable than you think
- You become more forgiving and understanding
- You’ll get a lot more done and have more fun
- You notice and appreciate people and things more
- You’ll sleep better and feel better
#1 You’re stronger and more capable than you think.
There’s a saying I like that seems to encompass this well. It says: “If you never try, you’ll never know.”
If you never try and let go of the safety net of your daily routine and just be curious, you’ll never know what great things could’ve happened.
If you never try and take that dance class you’ve been curious about, you’ll never know how much fun it could’ve been.
If you never try and take that course you were curious about you’ll never know what insightful things you would’ve learned.
This also shows up in that you are stronger and more capable to handle things emotionally and you don’t fall apart as easily when things don’t go according to plan. You’re more flexible and thus stronger and capable of dealing with things as they are.
#2 You become more forgiving and understanding
When we’re not fighting against time and traffic and people because we’re just being curious about things and allowing life to happen, then things aren’t as stressful and worrisome. We don’t get all angry when someone cuts us off while driving. We’re curious where they’re going in such a hurry and so we quickly forgive why they swerved in front us.
We don’t have to get all in a tizzy when someone leaves a light on, or the toilet seat up, or leaves their dirty socks on the floor. We’re just curious how those things got to be as they are and what will happen if they stay that way or if we do something about it? And when we’re open to being truly curious, we’ll also realize that we ourselves, when we’re stuck in our normal routines, often do many of the same things we accuse others of doing that drive us crazy! Thus we become more understanding of why others do what they do. Hmmm curious how that works.
We don’t feel the need to have to explain why we’re late, or how we look, or what we did what we did. We just show up when we do, where we do and how we do. And we’re okay with it! And because we’re okay others naturally seem to be too and if they’re not… well, we’re not easily bothered by it and are thus able to be more forgiving and understanding of them and of ourselves as well.
#3 You’ll get a lot more done with a lot more fun
Curious people naturally just get more things done and have a lot of fun doing them. They don’t let worries or fears or what others think hold them back from trying what they want. They don’t feel like failures if they didn’t get everything crossed off their “to do” list, or weren’t completely successful at whatever task they pursued. They know that what they do get done, no matter how much or how little actually got done, or how fully accomplished they were at doing it, was of the most value because they didn’t let other things or people distract or deter them from doing what they chose to do.
They just have fun because they try new things, go new places and meet new people. They learn more, listen more, love more and truly live more. Time doesn’t stop them, weather doesn’t discourage them. They don’t let fears paralyze them, or what society or others say about how things should be determine how they want them to be. They make their own choices, do things in their own way, are happy and productive in doing so and freely allow and encourage others to do the same.
#4 You notice and appreciate people and things more
When we’re stuck in our routines we don’t tend to notice the little things that happen and exist in life. But as we’re curious and start to notice these little things we realize that these little things are truly great and marvelous things. Little things like: sticky hand prints on the windows that remind us and fill our hearts with love and gratitude for the blessing of having children in our lives. The email or text that a friend sent telling us how lucky we are to have such good people who love and support us in our lives. The sun that warms and nurtures the earth, the wind, the rain, the trees, plants and animals that bring beauty and nourishment and love and joy. The modern technologies we often take for granted, that make things in our life so convenient.
When you’re curious you truly notice and appreciate all the little things in life and you know how to make those little things become more important. You don’t take people or things for granted because everything, even things that you see and use every day, change and become more amazing and wonderful when we become more curious about them.
#5 You’ll sleep better and feel better
At the end of the day when you’ve been able to be curious and truly enjoy life as it unfolds, to explore and discover new things about yourself and places and people around you, you’ll naturally just feel better about yourself and the path you’re pursuing in life that sleep will come easily. You’ll be at peace with what you did each day and how you did it and you’ll rest well and rise refreshed and ready for another new day full of curious joyful adventures.
What things will you discover about yourself and your life as you become more curious?
