Why being curious can make you more resilient ...

Personally I have found that my curiosity in difficult situations has been very helpful and the default question I ask myself when I am faced with any kind of challenge is "What can I learn from this?"

This is such a powerful and helpful question and part of my resilience toolkit.

By switching my mindset to one of curiosity helps me to diffuse some of the anxiety and fear that may be triggered. It has most certainly had a big impact on my ability to handle a whole range of challenging experiences.

We are all curious to some extent although we all differ according to the depth and strength of our curiosity and our willingness to act on it.

It is also worth bearing in mind that life is never boring for a curious person and curiosity powers our personal growth and enthusiasm for a whole range of life experiences.

Curiosity is indeed a trait of many successful and inspirational people including Thomas Edison, Maya Angelou, Walt Disney and Albert Einstein.

In an article in LIFE Magazine in 1955 entitled "Old Man's Advice to Youth: “Never Lose a Holy Curiosity” the theoretical physicist Einstein famously quoted:

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvellous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day”.

So, what are the benefits of being curious?

Better brain health

Curiosity helps our mind to be more active instead of passive. The mind is like a muscle and the more exercise it gets the stronger it will become. Various studies have shown that keeping our brain active and alert can also be very helpful in later life.

Improves intelligence

Curiosity is the engine of intellectual achievement and those who are more interested in a topic will learn faster and prime the brain better for learning. Curiosity is associated with high performance in both academic and work settings and there is evidence to suggest that the more we learn, the more we want to learn.

Builds positive relationships

Let’s face it we all like to feel as if people are interested in us. It something we value in our friendships. Curiosity can help us to be more empathetic because we are making an effort to really find out about someone else by questioning rather than just taking everything at face value. In turn this helps us to understand and care more deeply.

Helps with problem solving

Curious minds are active minds, and active minds become smart minds. Curiosity is associated with intelligence, creativity and problem-solving ability. Curious people create interesting and creative environments for themselves as they seek out new experiences and are open to exploring new ideas and possibilities.

Combats boredom

Curious people rarely find life boring because there is always something new to explore and discover. Any event can be turned into something fascinating by sharpening your observation and giving your attention to something you would normally miss.

So how can we be more curious?

Here are my top three tips ...

1. Cultivate a growth mind-set

Throughout our lives we collect a range of information and build a set of values and beliefs, which are important to us. We can however if we are not careful end up with a fixed mind-set. It’s important to challenge ourselves and be open to new experiences and to always remember that we never stop learning and growing which is the most exciting part of being alive.

2. Ask questions

Questions are the keys to unlock a whole trove of exciting treasures. Great open questions to ask are: How, who, what, when, where and the best one of all…why??It is also important to question the answers. It’s amazing what you can unearth when you probe a little deeper than the superficial first layer of small talk.

3. Feel the fear and be curious anyway

Sometimes we avoid being curious because we fear what we may discover. However, there are so many missed opportunities that go by the wayside because we fail to explore further. This in turn can lead us to getting stuck in a rut and then life can become mundane and boring. Being optimistic and approaching every situation with the intention of discovering something useful can help us to live a more fulfilling, exciting, and interesting life.

In summary

Adopting a curious mind-set can indeed bring about a multitude of personal benefits and have a positive impact on our overall wellbeing.

In the words of Samuel Johnson “Curiosity is, in great and generous minds, the first passion and the last.”?