Wonder. Curiosity. Awe. Amazement. As we grow, we often lose these childlike qualities that make life a true gift. If we’re lucky, we have our own children, and get to rediscover the newness of the world.
But that curiosity can be hard to hold onto. We often get stuck in life. We are told that this is the way things are. We are told not to ask questions. We are limited by fears or voices in our heads that tell us our dreams aren’t possible.
We forget that solutions exist outside of the multiple choice options we have been given. We forget to get curious when something doesn’t work. We give up easily and allow ourselves to be limited. We forget that there is a lot of space out beyond the box that we’ve been put in. And curiosity is the antidote, helping us overcome the limitations we face in life.
Practice stating “this is not what I think it is” each time you think about a problem. This is a simple way of beginning to cultivate curiosity. If it is not what you think, then what could it possibly be? This answer is not as important as the practice of beginning to think with curiosity. The question interrupts our habitual reactions and forces us to consider something new.
It is curiosity that allows us to experiment–and fail–a thousand times before finally achieving our desires. It is curiosity that allows us to see failure as simple information, and to discover a different way to try again.
It is curiosity that spurs us to turn into our fears and ask, what are you about? Why are you pursuing me? Is it possible that we could do this differently?
It is curiosity that asks what might it feel like to be something other than our thoughts. What might it feel like to not think today, to simply be? And curiosity spurs the experiments, the introspection, the willingness to leap into the unknown with no map and discover the space of our limitlessness.
Even more importantly, curiosity is what saves us when we’ve followed the instructions in all the manuals, and still can’t replicate the teacher’s results. Instead of giving up, we ask, “that’s funny, I wonder what I need to do differently?”
And once we’ve cultivated this curiosity and are in the habit of staying curious, a funny thing happens. We care less about what other people are telling us and more about our own pursuits and direction. We begin to allow our curiosity and wonder to lead us to the next amazing thing that no one else has even imagined yet!
We are the discoverer, the explorer, the pioneer on the edges of what is possible, navigating brave new worlds and showing others that the world is more limitless than they’ve ever dreamed!
To truly access all of the power and magic of your limitless self, simply cultivate a curious spirit and watch the possibilities open to you!
brilliantly and eloquently stated: thank you for sharing and expressing your voyage of discovery through the prism of curiosity
Jaden: You offered strong examples to answer the query of: I wonder what I need to do or think differently?” We need to add more of the child’s natural inclination to discover as well as welcome the explorer, scientist, traveler, and dreamer into our activities.
The best quote I have read in a long time, “…solutions exist outside of the multiple choice options we have been given.” I will be keeping this top-of-mind for in near future until it becomes part of my comfort zone. Thank you for the clever words and perspective you have brought to this concept!
Since most problems are based on a time. In the past or in the future. My favorite mantra to defeat such mind wanderings is a line from the book “Love is letting go of Fear” by Jerald Jampolsky. “This instant is the only time there is”. Anything other than now, is a illusion!
Yes As a child I had an intuitive message, a strong one, come to me. It was about Never becoming such a rigid adult that I lose all of that sense of wonder and freedom to explore. As i venture into some years of work and travel ahead with no locked in plan, only to exchange energy work and discover the wonders of central America and Europe, thank you for reawakening that pact I made with myself long ago.
Dear Jane,
Thank you for the great wisdom,; these are so powerful, CURIOSITY makes us grow. Tahnk you and love.