On Being Intentionally Curious

I live my life being curious.

Sure, they say curiosity killed the cat but I'm not talking about being blindly curious -- that's reckless.

Instead, I'm talking about being intentionally curious.

About the world around me and the people in it.

Today, while hiking, I asked one of my fellow hikers what they meant when they said they wanted to do more uncomfortable things this year (kudos to them for setting such an awesome goal).

When I asked what that meant specifically, they explained all the ways in which they wanted to be more comfortable with being uncomfortable (kudos for trusting me with those thoughts — TBH, people find talking to me very easy, it’s a gift I’ve been blessed with).

The array of things they wanted to do was fascinating (I won't list them here b/c they were shared in confidence).

I also found them uniquely, well, them.

For me, being comfortable with doing uncomfortable things is really about doing things we normally wouldn't do in life.

Or did, but stopped doing for a variety of reasons.

And that is what makes them uniquely our own.

They belong to us.

As you continue to head into 2024, I encourage you to ask yourself what are the things you want to get more comfortable with doing?

For me, I want to get more comfortable with meeting people.

Those that know me well might find that an odd thing b/c I come across as someone who already does this well but more specifically I want to get comfortable with asking questions and carrying on a conversation with someone I've just met for the first time.

The skill I am working on is being intentionally curious with everyone I meet.

Feel free to drop your "uncomfortable" goal in the comments.

Until next time, remember...

Every step has purpose.