Curiosity Fuels Joy
Dawn Lauren Anderson
“The first night I settled into my North Carolina home, the image above appeared exactly like the photo: a serene night sky with the moon peaking through. Yet I didn’t see it that way. Rather I saw a hideous green security light that ruined my view. My default reaction was anger and resentment.
With the passing days, curiosity for my new surroundings grew. I walked around the neighborhood and met the next door neighbors, a lovely family of four who are renting while building their own home. The father is a police officer, his marked vehicle a fixture during his off hours.
I didn’t ask about the security light coming from their property. It no longer seemed important. That same night as I lay in bed, I thought about the day, seeing a heart on my ceiling. It was extra bright due to the full moon. The blue orb I’m so familiar with now has a green hue. If you are familiar with the chakras, green is associated with the heart chakra. Perfect.
Tips for Cultivating Curiosity
The next time your feel sad, angry or upset about something outside yourself, I invite you to try this:
- Excuse yourself to a comfortable, safe location
- Sit, stand or lie down
- Close your eyes or lower your gaze
- Take one or two deep breaths
- Ask yourself, “What am I missing in this situation?”
- Gently open your eyes fully
- Slowly move your head and shoulders back and forth
- Notice the objects in your view, stopping for anything especially pleasing
- Be open to your intuition
- Practice patience with yourself, then others
Curiosity fuels our inner joy when we invite it in.”
*Thank you for your beautiful guest post, Dawn. I so appreciate this lovely reminder and I know my readers will too. You can find out more about Dawn below. See you next week!*
WRITING PROMPT: How has your perspective shifted when you got curious?
Author Bio:
Dawn is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in New York City. Her personal essay, “Leave an Abusive Relationship” can be found in “Give Yourself Permission Magazine” and the book “Give Yourself Permission Anthology” both edited by Priya Rana Kapoor. You can also find her life-changing story about her father’s last moments, “My Father’s Love: You’re One of the Good Ones”, on The Mindful Word in 2017, both available on https://dawnlaurenanderson.com
Social media links:
Twitter @dawnoutside
Instagram @dawnoutside
Facebook Dawn L. Anderson |
Elizabeth Heise