Creating Curiosity

There were a lot of reasons to write a blog for LSW Lighting.  It’s a good business practice. There are lots of other reasons that will fit into that category. However, my reason for writing this blog had nothing to do with business. It aligns with my curiosity practice.  Let me explain what curiosity practice can be.

Practicing curiosity is a simple concept. It’s the act of wanting to learn something new. Life would be boring if we didn’t incorporate new ideas or activities into our lives. So we become curious. I practice this every day. It led me to agree to write this blog. I often wonder if others have a similar process (interested). So, I asked some friends how they approach curiosity – and together, we came up with this.

How do you know you are feeling curious?

Curiosity causes physical symptoms. It’s pretty easy to know when you have caught the bug.

• The chatter inside your head is so loud that you can’t ignore it. Listen to what those voices are saying. You aren’t crazy, but rather, somewhat interested in learning something new.
• You start talking about the same thing over and over again with different people. Please pay attention to this; it lets you know that you are passionate and ready to start a new hobby.
• You find yourself smiling at an idea, sound, smell, taste or other sense. Your heart rate accelerates, and your hands get warm. Be excited!

Track your curiosity.

• Keep a diary.
• Start a curiosity journal.  I use a separate one to use for all networking events that I find inspiring.
• Draw.  If writing isn’t your thing, sketch out the meetings/events.  Make a note of exciting happenings.

Check into your creativity.

• Look at the trends of your thoughts. Are they repeating? A variation on a theme?  Random with no connections?
• Are there topics that you are writing about frequently?
• Ask yourself, what gets you excited, annoyed, interested?
• What makes you want to ask questions or get to know someone or something better?

Let’s be honest.

• Pretend you are three years old. Those creatures question everything.  Take a page from their book.  Ask why. Do not accept “because” for an answer.
• Why you are always thinking about a particular subject, dig deeper within yourself.
• Do not judge your curiosity. Explore without judgement. Curiosities are neutral.

Get Ready -Ask yourself.

• How are you spending your free time?
• What were your favourite activities as a child?
• Is there something that gets you so excited that you can’t stop talking about it?
• Do you want to solve problems? What kind?
• If you are currently unaware of your passion(s), ask your friends, family and colleagues what they think your desires are.  Their answers will most likely surprise you.

The Practice – All the ways you can bring curiosity into your life

• Take an impromptu walk in your city or a new city when we can travel again.  Get lost. Bring kids or a pet with you, and pay attention to what they see, touch, hear, find.  There is an excellent book on this subject called Flâneuse – Women walk the city in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice, and London.
• Take some time to observe a new space and the happenings there.
• Live – curiosity happens organically.
• Read. Read a lot.  Ask for book or article recommendations. Read books by authors of a different gender, race, generation, and culture than yourself.
• Open closed doors. There is a difference between closed and locked.
• Choose a topic, and learn as much as you can. Go down the rabbit hole.  Take someone with you.
• Ask all the questions. And then ask the questions to different people. Different perspectives will generate different kinds of problems. (and solutions)
• Take a walk, dance, or yoga break. Do anything that will make you move and clear your mind.
• Start a stream of consciousness journaling practice (aka morning pages). Writing three pages every morning before answering email, reading the news, or engaging in conversation, will bring great personal insight, which is a great way to learn about yourself and your desires.
• Teach
• Engage in a dialogue with your inner child. Listen to what they have to say; they will tell you what they need. Do an activity that they love to do.  When my inner child is happy, we twirl together.
• Attend creative or discussion-based events (there are loads to choose from online).
• Make art.
• Create space for what you want in life.
• Reserve judgement when you come across a topic of interest. Resistance means there is something new to learn.
• Listen to podcasts.
• Purchase a membership to a museum or an art gallery.
• Set aside the time to practice being curious.

*This post was written while listening to the Curiosity Cabinet playlist on Spotify. A playlist that I found by accident.