Questioning brings us closer to learning and the joy of exploring. A meta-analysis of 2,692 people found a strong link between being curious and being creative. Additional research also shows that, curiosity levels decrease as we age, especially for new experiences which stimulate us.
Curiosity is also likely to be lower among people who do no feel their basic needs are being met, or who are experiencing uncertainty. This also happens in animal populations where captive animals, who had to worry less about safety or finding food, were significantly more curious.
And additional research discovered that curiosity improves when people have autonomy to explore mysterious information. What this means is that when we can engage with new information in unexpected ways, curiosity increases.
There is more acceptance right now about stepping out of our comfort zones and limiting beliefs. It may be uncomfortable to confront why we believe what we believe. But it is also becoming increasingly healthy to question the accepted rules with curiosity.
While we have been taught to conform, when we think for ourselves our creativity flows. Questioning means having our own exploration and not following the norms and what is expected. How else can we be innovative and creative? Isn’t it time to color outside the lines of conformity?
Bob Marley reminds us that “None but ourselves can free our minds.”