elegant aspirations

Those of us who live with cats witness their curiosity in action every day. Cats explore corners, cupboards, and empty cardboard boxes, driven by an instinctive need to ensure that everything in their territory is as it should be. They check that the food bowl is in its usual spot, that there are no intruders, and that their hiding places are accessible. For our feline friends, curiosity is as essential for survival as their many hours of snoozing.

For us humans, however, the motivations behind our curiosity are more complex. We share a survival instinct that helps us ensure food, shelter, and safety. Yet, to feel comfortable, productive, and secure, we need a more nuanced curiosity to solve problems and gather information necessary for achieving economic success—like understanding what our customers want or how our patients are feeling.

Moreover, life offers much more than mere survival and functionality. Curiosity is the driving force behind all human achievements. In today's world, however, the comfort of our seemingly easy lives can lead to complacency and shrink our awe-inspiring experiences down to the limited scope of our latest smartphone or balance sheet. When we think we know all we need to know, our minds can shut down, and our perception of the world becomes restricted. Sometimes, the only form of curiosity we exhibit is morbid and often irrelevant, providing fleeting relief that someone else is suffering rather than us. While this may make us feel safe, it also keeps us small, ineffective, and detached from our greater potential.

By actively cultivating our curiosity, we can tap into a wealth of well-being that enriches our lives and the lives of those around us. Curiosity means taking the time to understand ourselves and others better, questioning assumptions, separating fact from fiction, and making more informed choices. This, in turn, positions us better to handle conflicts and adversities while also allowing us to positively influence others.

There are numerous rewarding (and often fun) ways to nurture and expand our curiosity:

- Research the historical facts behind the latest Netflix series.

- Cook with ingredients you've never tried before.

- Listen to a different political opinion.

- Ask your partner how they really feel.

- Sign up for that class you've always wanted to take.

- Join an environmental group.

- Volunteer at a food bank.

When we seek to discover new things beyond what seems necessary, we expand our hearts and minds beyond the ordinary. An expansive, inquisitive mind is a powerful tool that fosters emotional strength and resilience. The more we learn, the more we desire to learn, making the world increasingly interesting and wondrous. Ultimately, this leads to greater effectiveness, health, and happiness.