Today I’m continuing my blog about curiosity. In this final part I’m once again writing about how curiosity leads to wonder, and then how it often creates happiness and joy.
You have likely heard the story about John Lennon of the Beatles, who as a little boy, when asked by his teacher what he wanted to be when he grew up, answered “happy”. When the teacher told him that he didn’t understand the assignment, he explained that she did not understand life. You see, John’s mother always told him that happiness was the key to life.
Now, do happiness and joy mean the same thing? Many of us use those terms almost interchangeably.
Psychologies Magazine says:
“Joy and happiness are wonderful feelings to experience, but are very different. Joy is more consistent and is cultivated internally. It comes when you make peace with who you are, why you are and how you are, whereas happiness tends to be externally triggered and is based on other people, things, places, thoughts and events. Aiming for joy is more beneficial, as it is less transitory than happiness and is not tied to external circumstances.”
Rev. Dr. Christopher Benek tell us more about that:
“Joy is caused by elation at a moment in time. Joy may not always be about oneself but be about others’ contentment also. Happiness is about the self’s pleasure. Happiness may dwell on materialistic, worldly pleasure while joy is derived from soul satisfying, emotional wellbeing. We feel joy when we are spiritually connected to God.”
So, what does that have to do with curiosity?
Dr. Todd Kashdan is a professor of psychology at George Mason University. In Experience Life magazine he wrote:
“One of the most reliable and overlooked keys to happiness is cultivating and exercising our innate sense of curiosity. That’s because curiosity — a state of active interest or genuinely wanting to know more about something — creates an openness to unfamiliar experiences, laying the groundwork for greater opportunities to experience discovery, joy and delight.
Curiosity is something that can be nurtured and developed. With practice, we can harness the power of curiosity to transform everyday tasks into interesting and enjoyable experiences. We can also use curiosity to intentionally create wonder, intrigue and play, out of almost any situation or interaction we encounter.
Curiosity, at its core, is all about noticing and being drawn to things we find interesting. It’s about recognizing and seizing the pleasures that novel experiences offer us, and finding novelty and meaning even in experiences that are familiar.
Research suggests that experiencing novelty is an important factor in both health and happiness. Opportunities for novelty exist virtually everywhere, but to discover and make the most of them, we need to develop our “curiosity muscle” through more regular and intense use.”
So, would you like be a “Curious Explorer” with me this week? Exploring how to develop your curiosity muscle? Here’s what Dr. Kashdan recommends that we do:
- Try to notice little details of your daily routine that you never really noticed before.
- When talking to people, try to remain open to whatever transpires without judgement.
- Let novelty unfold and resist the temptation to control the flow.
- Gently allow your attention to be guided by your 5 basic physical senses. Be attentive to the smell, taste, feel, look, and sound of whatever comes your way.
Let’s take a look at what Woman’s Day magazine says-
“Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it turns out it’s great for humans. Recent studies have linked it with a range of benefits, including creativity, healthy work habits and life satisfaction. “Exploratory curiosity” was one of the character strengths that predicts positive mood and self-esteem, and curiosity was connected to a greater sense of hope and life purpose:
Curiosity is a link to a more joyful life, explains Associate Professor Dr Maria Kangas. “…be present in the moment”. She says. “Stop, look around, remove all distractions and just…see. You’ll be amazed how quickly the things you thought you knew all too well suddenly begin to seem strange and wonderful and new.”
So, starting right now, let’s make sure that we cultivate the gift of curiosity; that we look at life with a sense of wonder; that we live in a constant state of blissful joy. Let’s be like little children, frolicking in the kingdom of heaven. Or like a curious cat who tell us that: The joy of living wells up within us… as we touch the divine in thought and feeling.
NAMASTE and SAWUBONA. Keep manifesting only good things
Tony
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