Curiosity Opens Doors

Curiosity Opens Doors

I’ve been thinking lately about how strange it is that we seem to think we need to understand something before we’re allowed to explore it.

Somewhere along the way, curiosity became something we feel like we have to justify. We want to try something new and immediately our brain starts asking questions. Do I believe in this? Am I any good at it? What if people think it’s weird? What if I try it and decide it’s not for me?

But surely that’s the whole point of exploring?

Over the past few months, I’ve found myself wandering down all sorts of new paths. Sound healing, crystals, Reiki, meditation, energy work, witchcraft and plenty of other things that younger me probably wouldn’t have expected to find herself doing. I certainly didn’t wake up one morning with a detailed five-year plan involving singing bowls and a suspicious number of crystals.

I just got curious.

One thing caught my attention, so I explored it. That led me somewhere else. Then something else appeared that made me think, Well, what’s that about then? Before I knew it, one little thread of curiosity had turned into an entire journey.

And I still don’t understand everything I’m exploring.

I don’t think I’m supposed to.

There’s something really freeing about allowing yourself to be a beginner. You can go to a class without knowing whether you’ll ever go back. You can read about something without deciding you believe every word of it. You can try meditation, pull a tarot card, learn about energy, walk into the woods, explore a different spiritual practice or simply ask questions.

You’re even allowed to decide afterwards that it’s absolutely not for you.

That isn’t failure. You explored something and learned a little more about yourself in the process.

I think we lose some of that as adults. Children will investigate something purely because it looks interesting. Meanwhile, adults apparently require a business case, three references and a small committee meeting before trying something new.

Maybe we could borrow a little of that curiosity back.

You don’t need to know where every path leads before taking the first few steps. You don’t need to have the right words for everything you experience. And you definitely don’t need somebody else’s permission to explore something simply because it fascinates you.

Some doors lead somewhere wonderful. Some lead to something completely unexpected. Some make you turn around and walk straight back out again.

But you’ll never know what’s behind them if curiosity isn’t allowed to turn the handle.

You don’t need all the answers to begin. Sometimes “I wonder…” is enough.

Daily Affirmation

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