"Curiosity killed the cat!" If I a had a nickel for every time I heard this saying growing up, I'd be rich! Or not, since a nickel can buy you literally nothing these days. I need to start saying: "If I had a grand for every time..." ANYWAYS. I wonder if the adults in my life were aware that they were literally brainwashing the curiosity out of me and countless other children? I'm going to assume they did not and instead were just repeating something that had been said to them as children. Likely this saying dates back to a time when curiosity literally would kill you. It's in this way that conformity and complacency is passed down generation to generation UNTIL, some rebel (such as myself) decides to get curious despite all the warnings.
Really though, how often do you question "the way things are"? How often do you talk to a complete stranger or listen to a new perspective? Do you ever intentionally learn new skills, habits or thought patterns? Do you modify the recipe just to see what might happen or push yourself a little harder physically? How often do you set goals that you have about zero chance of attaining? The majority of people carefully construct a world of comfort and leave it as rarely as possible. And here's why, the human brain is wired for survival, which means it's always looking for the easiest, safest, most efficient way of doing things. The brain loves predictability! So if you want to do more than survive, if you want to thrive, then you have to override the system.
I believe that the best way to begin the process is to move your body, because as Mel Robbins said, "when you move your body, you change your mind." Our bodies are meant to move and our brain health depends on it. There is a chemical release of endorphins (aka good feeling hormones) that happens when you exercise. Back in the day, humans worked hard all day every day to survive and received a steady stream of endorphins. Now a days, our "work" is mostly sedentary and so you aren't getting that rush of good feelings throughout the day. It's up to you to make this chemical process happen through intentional movement.
What does all of this have to do with curiosity you ask? I think that the chemical reward you get from being physically curious, provides the most immediate gratification. You'll also build physical and mental strength that will give you confidence to be curious in other aspects of your life. For me, joining a hard class at the Y gave me an insane endorphin high AND the confidence to socialize with the other Moms and eventually step into the weight room. All of those experiences gave me the confidence to do other things, like pack up my family and move to Texas and start my own business. I also had to try many forms of exercise to land on bodybuilding. You might discover a love for water aerobics!
Friend, you deserve a life beyond survival. What good is all of this advancement of our species if we aren't able to rise beyond our basic animal instincts?! If you don't get curious, you'll rob yourself of realizing your full potential. There is so much reward in meeting new people, learning new information or perspectives, acquiring new skills and testing your physical/mental limits. There is zero reward for playing it safe and never looking outside your bubble. It's up to you to push beyond your "normal" in order to become your highest self. You were born with a purpose! Get curious, try new things, learn new skills, meet new people so you can figure out what that is.
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As always, thanks for reading,
Kellie
MOVE.CONNECT.LEARN.™
There's a song for that: "Unwritten", Natasha Bedingfield
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