Did you know that the expression “curiosity killed the cat” was originally referring to the dangers of being nosy, meddlesome, or unnecessarily interested in other people’s affairs? (The more you know!)
Anyway, it definitely wasn’t advocating for being uninterested, un-inquisitive or un-adventurous about life, and yet we wonder … how many people secretly still believe that curiosity is a bad thing? Let’s go there, shall we?
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THIS WEEK, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW:
APPLY IT TO YOUR OWN LIFE:
This one was inspired by the wise, funny, and amazingly articulate Liz Gilbert. {You know her best as the author of Eat, Pray, Love. We also highly recommend reading her whole Facebook post about curiosity and fear because it’s great. She constantly posts high-quality, thought-provoking stuff, if you enjoy following inspirational people on social media.}
It’s unrealistic to expect to be completely unafraid, ever.
We’re human. Fear is a biological impulse hard-wired into our very DNA. To expect to ever overcome all of your fear, to never feel afraid or anxious before taking a step, is to set yourself up for major disappointment.
The way Liz Gilbert puts it, as long as your curiosity about life overrides your fear … even by just 1% more … then you’ll be OK. You’ll keep moving forward instead of staying put. You’ll take risks, even if you’re very uncertain. You’ll be more interested in learning the unknowns that life has to offer, rather than sitting comfortably (but boringly) in the known.
The good stuff in life … growth, transformation, invention, creativity, fulfillment, passion, love … are directly derived from being curious enough to explore, experiment, test boundaries, and move forward.
You don’t have to be fearless. You just have to be willing to let something else exceed your fear, even by a hair.
Be slightly more curious about the world than you are frightened of it. – @GilbertLiz #ClarityGems
How is this #ClarityGem sitting with you today? Tag us @ClarityonFire on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to let us know!
WHAT #CLARITYGEMS ARE ALL ABOUT:
Sometimes it’s just better to avoid long blog posts and cut straight to the point!
Think of #ClarityGems as your weekly shake of the good ‘ole Magic 8 Ball … you never know what might bubble up and how it might be exactly what you need to hear today.
And instead of just a beautiful, inspirational, and shareable image (which is a nice start), we’re giving you some quick thoughts about how to interpret it … because inspiration without action is pretty, but kind of anti-climatic.
Tweet it, share it on Instagram, or forward it along to someone who needs to hear it today … and tag us (@ClarityonFire) to let us know how this Gem is inspiring you!
Much Love,
Rachel + Kristen
