Quote:
Whether you think you can or you think you can’t - you’re right. Henry Ford
The Action:
I am in fact writing this post Sunday, my birthday, and a significant day for myself. I have always had a deep resonance with my birthday as the day to reset, and to design the year ahead for myself. In respect to goals, dreams, code to live by, and how I show up. Perhaps it is my rebellious streak of not buying into January 1st as the beginning of a new year, which has no significance to myself what so ever.
So what does this next year look like? Three hundred and sixty-four days rising before me waiting to be pounced on, acted upon, cajoled, and tasted as the fruits of my life in those moments. This is up to myself to create these moments with a significance. How will I spend these precious days and moments, that will only appear and disappear once on my horizon, and in my present moment awareness.
I was riding my bike last night, in the fading light, and I had one of those moments of clarity and insight, as to the tone of the year to come. Pen, sword, bike, heart, and lead.
The pen, and the book that waits to be written. The sword, and the discipline of a mind that is stubborn, rebellious, and at times lacks focus and motivation. The bike, fitness, pushing new limits within and physically, the realization that the pushing of my body is my pathway to self knowledge, exploration and awareness, not only of whom I am, but also of whom I can become. The heart, an opening, an exploration of joy, pleasure, true north, alignment with dreams and passions, a connection to the directions and actions to be taken for my life. To lead myself with authenticity, courage, an alignment with my values and beliefs, that I know are my unique contributions and gifts for others and the earth.
The Book: Curious - The Desire To Know and Why Your Future Depends Upon It. Ian Leslie
I think this quote from the book sums up my appreciation for the importance of curiosity in one’s life, and how as an Educator for the past thirty-five years, I have witnessed this essential life state atrophy in people.
“Curiosity is unruly. It doesn’t like rules, or, at least, it assumes that all rules are provisional, subject to the laceration of a smart question nobody has yet thought to ask. It disdains the approved pathways, preferring diversions, unplanned excursions, impulsive left turns. In short, curiosity is deviant. Pursuing it is liable to bring you into conflict with authority at some point, as everyone from Galileo to Charles Darwin to Steve Jobs could have attested”.
I have learned that there are in fact three types of curiosity, diversive, epistemic and empathetic, each serving a specific purpose. Also that curiosity is like a muscle and that it has to be used, or else it withers away, and we resort to automatic behaviours and routines, Curiosity keeps us fresh and engaged with life, and it is also suggested in the book that we are currently living in the era of “The Great Stagnation”. 4.5/5