Show notes
This episode is all about how to cultivate a mind that cannot let go of attachments to our current or past experiences or pre-judgements or expectations. To support you to feel that you can deal openly and flow fully with situations, things or people. To be free of the past and unattached to the future. Feeling peaceful and with clarity to support your energy.
Would you like your mind to be open and free? Would you like you like a recharge or energy boost? Well how can we do this? By cultivating our Curiosity.
Curiosity is pervasive in our lives. We spend a lot of our time seeking and consuming information, exploring social media, watching TV, listening to music, reading articles or books. Importantly it can be a fulfilling pathway to explore, engage in new experiences and build knowledge. Curiosity is also a character strength and in fact one of 5 that are most highly related to life satisfaction:
hope (r = .53), zest (r = .52), gratitude (r = .43), curiosity (r = .39), and love (r = .35)
The immediate and long-term function of curiosity is to:
- seek out, explore, and immerse oneself in situations with potential for new information and/or experiences
- consistently act on curious feelings functions to expand knowledge, build competencies, strengthen social relationships, and increase intellectual and creative capacities
Curiosity through mindfulness supports us towards–
- ongoing self- discovery
- an open, curious approach with others
- a better understanding of others consistently
- effective responses when having curious feelings
- expanding our knowledge
- building competencies
- strengthening social relationships
- increasing intellectual and creative capacities
Francesca Gino at Harvard Business School points to several surprisingly practical benefits for business: Curiosity improves decision making because it reduces our susceptibility to stereotypes and to confirmation bias; it fuels employee engagement and collaboration; and it fortifies organisational resilience by prompting creative problem solving in the face of uncertainty and pressure. In short, curiosity boosts business performance.
https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=54913
The way forward is…
Taking a mindful approach to our curiosity.
Mindfulness is the paying attention in the present moment without judgment. When we communicate with curiosity, we create safety in our discussions and a climate of discovery. It involves connecting openly with yourself first. How do you interpret your experience and the world around you? When we become mindful and are in the moment, we start to increase our awareness about our curiosity and what choices and actions we can take.
Practices that Cultivate Curiosity
Meditation for Developing a Beginner’s Mind:
Meditations can help us to develop a Beginner’s Mind. When our mind is open and free, we are also willing to learn. Even relationships that are well established can be seen through a mindful lens that is free from views, advice and perspective. Without views, we listen more deeply and understand more clearly.
- A beginner’s mind
Thanks for listening! Mary Mangos, Psychologist Coachuwellness
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