Curiosity as a Practice
Having a plan, setting goals and objectives with a timeline to meet those goals are all skills we have been taught to develop. Doing it well, we have been told, will help us accomplish all the things that will bring us happiness and fulfilment. If that’s working for you, great! For me, not so much. In the short term, sure. I am a list maker and make sure if I am travelling, I plan out all the things I want to see as well as people and places I want to visit.
When it has come to my life’s journey with all the twists and turns that it has brought, goal setting or strategic planning has not been so successful. Either life events would rudely interrupt my perfect plan totally throwing off the timeline or blocking me all together from getting where I wanted to go, or I would hit a milestone as planned and find that it just did not bring the satisfaction I was sure it would.
Through trial and error and out of necessity, I began to realize that navigating this life (for me) was more about paying attention and then intentionally doing the next right thing. I began to get curious. What were the things that really energized me or that I loved doing? Were there ways to incorporate more of those activities into my life? What things could I let go of that I was doing only because others expected I would? Were there other things that intrigued me but that I hadn’t tried because I was ‘too busy’ or thought that I couldn’t do them? Might it be possible to try something new?
As I slowly began to open up my mind to the new possibilities, more opportunities began to present themselves. I started to get excited about trying new things. Some I loved and have incorporated into my life. Some I didn’t enjoy and didn’t do again - but was glad I had tried.
Over time, I watched my own life transform as I developed new skills, took on new jobs and met new people. I learned how to use curiosity as a practice. It helped me make intentional decisions in line with my own core values. When I said no to some things, I was saying yes to something else and spending my energy in ways that fed my spirit and moved me closer to the person I was meant to be.
Looking back, I realize now that I could have never set goals or put a plan in place to achieve this life. Why? Because I could have never imagined it. With each step, each new endeavour, I began to know myself better and understand what the next step could look like. This life, my life, has evolved and developed over time. I feel more myself than at any time in my life and it all began when I started to get curious.
