I recommend that you read Curious?: Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life and I plan to blog about my reasons soon. In the meanwhile, you can get a good sense of what the book is about by reading an interview of its author Dr. Todd Kashdan. Bonus: You may also listen to an NPR interview of Kashdan. From "Meet Curious Todd" (InsideNova.com):
Q: What is it about "Curious" that distinguishes itself from other books on fulfill-ment?
A: This is not a book about happiness… This is a book about living a life that matters with a broader view about what the "good life" entails… When you take a broad view of what matters, an important question remains that this entire book hinges on. What is the central ingredient to creating a fulfilling life? The answer is curiosity. Being curious is about appreciating and seeking out the new. It's about being flexible, recognizing the freshness of the familiar. Instead of trying desperately to explain and control our world, we embrace uncertainty. When we are open to new experiences, when we relish the unknown, positive events linger longer and we extract more pleasure and meaning from them. By acting on our curiosity, we explore and dis-cover new things about ourselves, other people, and the world… Without being curious and open to experiences, we stop growing as a person and lose our ability to capitalize on the rewards that life has to offer.
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Q: You've lectured on well-being over the years and have assigned many exercises to stretch one's curiosity limit. What are some interesting findings in reading student responses?
A: People often take their friends, family, and romantic partners for granted. When we think we become experts about who they are, we stop paying attention. When I give people the exercise
to look at someone they have known for years from the perspective of someone who never met them, I am amazed at what happens. People discover that their loved ones can still surprise them… I remember one student who was with her boyfriend for seven years. For the assignment, she agreed to go to a hockey game with him after years of letting him go on his own with friends. She was surprised by his energy and aggressiveness… Her initial shock morphed into intrigue. She realized how enjoyable it is to see the less dominant sides of his personality and how much she might be ignoring on a daily basis. This mindset switch is what can invigorate relationships. ...
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