I took this photo a little while ago. Curious isn’t it? Why was a cute scooter swathed in branches? Who did it? Why? Where is the owner?
The police came along after a day or two and checked out the rego, and moved the branches off the bike. Still the bike remained as cars parked around it day after day. One day the bike was gone and I will never know the full story. It doesn’t matter. I simply loved the fact that it was out of the ordinary and peaked my curiosity.
The photo opportunity arose at the same time I was reading a book by Dr Todd Kashdan aptly titled Curious? which was published by Harper Collins in 2009. Thumbs up for synchronicity.
Kashdan believes curiosity is the missing ingredient to a fulfilling life. He says it is different from other means of fulfillment because curiosity is all about appreciating and seeking out the new and looking for novelty and freshness in the familiar.
He writes: “Curiosity creates possibilities; the need for certainty narrows them. Curiosity creates energy, the need for certainty depletes”.
Research has been carried out which established that most of us spend only about 25-30minutes a day doing what we love. At least 40minutes of our day is consumed by doing things we detest like commuting, standing in a queue or waiting for customer service on a phone.
There are 24 hours in a day and scheduling the time for novelty is essential. If you want to change then you need to devote time to it. A few years ago I read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. She designed a 12 week program to unblock creativity which I completed and cannot speak highly enough about. One of the methods she describes is to go on an ‘artist date’ by yourself each week to explore something new and interesting.
It is lovely talking about creative pursuits and adventure. The fact is that the mundane routines in life still aren’t going to magically disappear however the way we deal with them can change. We can inject variety into our everyday routine. Go to work a different way, mix up our exercise routine, try a different vegetable, cook a new meal. If there is an activity you really dislike but have to do it, Kashdan suggests finding 3 novel or unique things about it. I have done this with ironing!
Apparently curious people have the same sorts of fears and doubts as anyone else but build up a tolerance for distress. Curious people act on their curiosity and explore what intrigues them while taking their anxiety along for the ride. The more we enhance curiosity the more we comfortable we become tackling change and difficult situations.
Thoughts and feelings are not an accurate reflection of what we can do and achieve. Self-doubt, the need for control and fear or uncertainty are normal healthy parts of risk-taking. It is far better to trust our curiosity, our interests and our values rather dwelling on thoughts and feelings that can hold us back.
Make curiosity a focus. Work on investing in your passions, interests and values and take any anxiety along for the ride (in the back seat). Find a role model who inspires you while remembering to honour your own uniqueness and Dream, Dare & Do.
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Be the best version of yourself!
