How to Live is written as a love letter to my daughter to share all the things I hope might help her live a better life … though I suspect others may also find it valuable.
Dear Giana,
If there’s one thing I am, it’s curious. Lots of things interest me and I am not afraid to geek out on them. I once went down a months’-long rabbit hole on Ancestry.com and was never happier. In the process, I unearthed some long-lost cousins and discovered we are descended from Scottish nobility. (You may refer to me as Lady henceforth.)
I find I’m never bored because there’s always something new to discover, which is great. But I know a lot of people aren’t naturally inclined that way. Still, I believe we are all born with natural curiosity about certain things and can cultivate that curiosity throughout our lives by doing a few things.
Follow your natural interests
The easiest way to stay curious is to learn more about the things you are already interested in. Anime and art for you, home decorating and shows about time travel for me (and cooking and history and books and…) Discovering more about a topic you are naturally drawn to makes it easy and fun to learn more.
I think maybe some people view curiosity like a school assignment, so it would make sense that they don’t want to pursue those things. But that’s why I think it’s important to just notice what sparks your interest and follow it. Then it’s not a chore but something you look forward to doing or learning more about.
Don’t feel like you have to become an expert
Maybe it’s because everyone wants to monetize their interests these days, but some people avoid pursuing new interests because they think they have to become the next leading expert on the subject, which is, of course, silly. I think we have forgotten that we can learn about new things for the simple joy of it. Because it lights us up and fills our internal tanks.
It’s freeing to remember that not everything has to be done as part of a larger strategy or plan that must produce measurable results. Pursue something just because you feel like it. No reason, no explanation, no justification. Just because it makes you happy.
Explore different mediums
I’ve learned tons about Scottish and early American history thanks to Outlander. I get useful marketing tips for my business and life-enhancing personal development insights from podcasts I listen to every week. Fiction and non-fiction books are both a great source of discovery, as are YouTube videos. Meeting new people and learning more about what they’re interested in opens you up to all kinds of new perspectives and experiences you would have never known about otherwise.
The point is, any path can lead you somewhere good. Somewhere new and interesting. Try them all.
Remember to keep an open mind
One of the things I love most about approaching the world with curiosity is how often it leads me to change my mind. When you get new information, it’s not only okay to change your mind about something, it’s essential to growing and maturing. I highly encourage doing this your entire life.
Certainty rides dangerously close to close-mindedness at times, and the truth is, the more people live, the less they know for sure. Because life is like that. Squidgy around the edges. Changing, complex. One thing, and then out of the blue, something else entirely.
That’s not something to fear; it’s something to embrace. To be surprised and delighted by life is one of its greatest gifts, and staying curious positions you to receive as many of them as you can.
Love,
Mommy
What’s Giving Me Life
Last week you were on spring break and we explored Philadelphia, going to the zoo, taking the train downtown and checking out the Harry Potter exhibit at The Franklin Institute. It was warm and beautiful, and the city was in full bloom. It was exactly the kind of thing I imagined doing with you when we moved here. Spending hours upon hours exploring with you is one of my favorite things.