Often I’ll get a book as soon as I hear about it, like this mad dash of NEEDING this book in my life… but then I won’t read it for a while or forever. I saw Brian Grazer on “Super Soul Sunday” with our Earth Angel Oprah probably a year ago, maybe even longer. I downloaded his book A Curious Mind shortly thereafter. I started reading it last week. I think that the delays of this nature are very purposeful—the information comes to us when we need it, when we are ready, when we can best benefit from the message.
Curiosity is more than just an adorable notion (or an annoying notion, depending on its source). Grazer writes, “…one thing I know about curiosity: it’s democratic. Anyone, anywhere of any age or education level, can use it…. even if your curiosity is suppressed, you can’t lose it.” At what age or stage do we stop wondering? I’m inclined to ask people a lot of questions. I often joke that I want a talk show when I grow up. I love doing Facebook Live talks with my oilers or my Rescue team. Curiosity can level the playing field. Listening to someone’s curiosity, the questions they ask of you, the things they read and share about opens up the possibilities of connections. Those of you who live to help others, you’ll help them so much more if you listen to their curiosity, interests, needs, rather than just dictate what you think they need to better their situation.
Grazer talks about the efficacy of curiosity as hinged on the ability to pay attention to the answers to your questions and the willingness to act. Curiosity is as much about wonder, asking and exploring as it is about listening, thinking and acting. How many times have you asked a question, then completely tuned out the answer? Did you not really care about the answer? Did you have a “squirrel moment” of distraction? Did you ask the wrong person or source? Were you afraid of the responsibility warranted through the answer?
Grazer highlights an element of leadership, putting words to a sense that I’ve felt for a while now, a sense that has helped my day job life, my Rescue life and my Reiki and wellness life flourish: “I’ve discovered that even when you’re in charge, you are often much more effective asking questions than giving orders.” Think about the effective teachers, coaches and mentors in your past (or present). Who reached you best—the one barking orders or the one questioning, thinking about what will help you reach your goals and milestone? Rescue life—I can “yell” at people who want to “get rid of” their rabbits or I can ask them how we can best help them either make their rabbit a source of joy in their family rather than a source of strife or how we can assist in helping them find a loving home. The questions, rather than the chastising, are the only way people will potential recognize their responsibility in the matter (and life) at hand. And in Reiki/wellness life—I’ll help facilitate far more healing if I ask, wonder and listen than if I prescribe and dictate. Always.
I’m only 17% through the book but it’s cracking so much wide open for me that I was compelled to write about it already, rather than wait until I was done. This just might join the ranks of the books that I buy copies of for “my people,” (The Four Agreements by Ruiz, The Happiness Project by Rubin, May Cause Miracles by Bernstein). So, stay curious. And don’t apologize for it. Don’t feel weird or annoying for asking questions (but don’t be afraid to do some research of your own too!). Let’s reignite our sense of wonder, our questioning and thinking, together. Much Love.