SHOELESS. WONDER.

Do you remove your shoes when asked?

I’m not going to link the article circling the web about this because it’s clearly outrage clickbait (eye roll) but it did have me thinking of a very particular phrase: “failure of curiosity.”

First, let’s consider what inspires curiosity.

Curiosity is a motivational state driven by a desire to explore, learn, and understand new information or experiences. It involves seeking novelty, asking questions, and engaging in activities that stimulate cognitive interest. So, when we are actively curious, we are in a state of educational PLAY.

And what’s the opposite of play? You got it! FEAR.

(You might notice my posts have a common theme by now, chums.)

Fear, anxiety, or anger can often diminish curiosity. When a person is overwhelmed by emotions (amygdala attack!), their attention is often focused on managing those emotions rather than exploring new ideas or experiences.

Spoiler alert: For the original writer, that translated into righteous indignation and digging her metaphorical heels in.

Unless we are very practiced in CHOOSING curiosity, which is what I teach my clients at The Wren Way, our emotional storm derails our ability to explore our environment.

Now back to the shoes. (shews)

In many cultures, removing shoes before entering a home is a sign of respect, cleanliness, or a cultural tradition. Curiosity could inspire us to inquire about or observe these practices, understand their significance, and bridge the culture gap with our friends and neighbors. Curiosity also could help us create empathy and understanding of others' beliefs and customs and therefore ask us to examine our own cultural “norms.”

So, from a philosophical standpoint, curiosity is one easy route to freedom from "the assumed.” And its a quick route to one of the two things necessary for personal success and fulfillment: a person's ability to cultivate meaningful relationships.

It’s not really about the shoes, then, is it?

We may ALWAYS feel ourselves reactively shutting down, clamming, up, getting energetically twisted, or literally running away when we encounter something that feels unfamiliar to us. Feeling this way is NOT the failure part. That’s the normal part.

But, we are not currently monkeys and there are, for the most part, no actual lions hiding in the living room rug.

As (sort of) evolved folks, we can PRACTICE taking the moment to self-regulate, pause, breath, and CHOOSE CURIOUS.

I suppose that would be a “success of curiosity?”

******

Jennifer Wren, founder of The Wren Way, is a Life and Leadership Coach who helps mid-life women stop feeling stuck and start having fun though the intentional practice of compassion, play, curiosity and aligned action.