Receiving an odd compliment recently, prompted a journey leading to a unique discovery. I often write about managing anxiety here at Mindfulness Monday, sharing tools and techniques which help with every day anxiety. After receiving a compliment for my curious mind, I discovered curiosity tames anxiety by redirecting anxious thoughts.
Curiosity actually releases the neurotransmitter, dopamine, triggering feelings of Joy, contentment, and security.
Employing curiosity during moments of potential anxiety, offers a new method for processing racing thoughts and catastrophizing. As curiosity tames anxiety, we learn better problem solving skills, contributing to a more “present” mindset, rather than slipping into past or future worries.
Welcome to Mindfulness Monday! Where we learn some easy ways to be more present “in the moment” at our jobs, in our homes, with our families and friends.
Learning to recognize God and what He has for us in each divine moment He offers. We acknowledge the belief that God is with us always.
We confess His presence is available to us, lifting our spirit and helping us with power and grace. Learning the art of “stillness” so we can hear His voice and view ourselves, others and our surroundings through His eyes.
benefits of curiosity
While teaching new orientees skills for better engaging patients and families of diverse backgrounds, I share varied ways of employing respectful curiosity. “You ask fabulous questions,” is a comment I receive often, along with “I never thought of asking those things.”
The artfully crafted question illicits information, but even more, it demonstrates your interest in others from the perspective of an open mind.
As we learned in my last post, cultivating an attitude of holy curiosity opens our minds to God’s view on our situations, changing our perspective from one of fear to one of security. Considering the many benefits of curiosity, helps us learn how curiosity tames anxiety.
Which of these benefits of curiosity have you noticed in your own life?
- Increased problem solving. Curiosity fuels resourcefulness and creativity.
- Less fearfulness. Curiosity drives action-stepping out of your comfort zone.
- More empathy. Curiosity avoids judgement, instead understanding the other person’s position.
- Increased knowledge. Curiosity leads to learning-learning helps diminish fear of the unknown.
- Increased humilty. Curiosity admits you do not know all the answers.
- More self-awareness. Curiosity explores beliefs and perspectives, understanding your own position and thoughts.
how curiosity tames anxiety
Curiosity naturally opens your mind to explore new ideas, methods, and perspectives, immediately slowing the racing thoughts of anxiety, while igniting creative problem solving. Try these easy mindfulness activities for cultivating curiosity rather than opting for worry or catastrophizing.
Wonder Spotting with Curiosity
If you struggle with anxiety over world or local news and events, try “wonder-spotting”. When tempted with only seeing the negative, or fearing the future, look for the wonder in your surroundings.
Shifting to a curiosity driven mindset chooses a view of new, beautiful, and interesting things, igniting the brain’s creativity in searching for possibilities instead of problems.
- Ask, “What is beautiful, new or interesting about this moment, place, or time [of day]?
- Act, grab your camera and take a picture, journal about your find, or simply note the date and what you found in a note app on your phone.
Remember: “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17)
Try Curious Empathy
Often anxiety stems from relational difficulties or misunderstandings. If you struggle with relationship anxiety, try practicing “curious empathy”. An empathic approach also helps if rejection is a trigger for you.
Centering curiosity on the thoughts and feelings of others challenges catastrophic generalizations and false narratives, contributing to anxious feelings of hurt and rejection.
- Ask, “I wonder what is going on for my friend, spouse, child, today?” Instead of gripping the negative narrative in your mind.
- Act, check reactivity and respond in kindness, or shift the focus from yourself by inviting your friend, spouse, child into conversation about them.
Remember: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
Be a Curious Emotional Detective
When anxiety triggers overwhelming emotions, instead of falling prey to the unreliability of your anxiety, become a “curious emotional detective.” Welcome all emotions to the table through curious exploration.
Exploring emotions triggered by anxiety disarms reactivity and calms overwhelm by acknowledging the emotions without feeling threatened by them.
- Ask, “What do I think will happen which is causing this emotion?” Followed by, “What evidence do I have for this scenario?” and finally, “Is there another explanation?”
- Act, instead of ignoring or running with your emotions, slow down, and face them. Journal out the emotions you feel, and why you feel them. Just listing them on paper frees your mind from the overwhelm of holding them.
Remember: “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” (Psalm 94:19)
compassionate curiosity
Curiosity tames anxiety through compassion. Setting aside judgement of yourself and others, frees you to gently explore and accept the truth, rather than fueling more anxiety through self-condemnation, catastrophizing, and false narratives.
Using compassionate curiosity helps me seek the truth of my situations and relationships while learning acceptance of my own limitations with kindness.
Ultimately, embracing the holy curiosity we learned about last week, with a compassionate curiosity, enables the opening of our minds to God’s perspective, while releasing our anxiety in the security of our intimate relationship with Him.
I love the practice of using curiosity to help us with anxiety. I had been very mindful of practicing good mental hygiene over the spring, but I’ve gotten lazy about it during the summer. And now I’m paying for it. I need to return to good practices, and this is definitely a good one. Thanks, Donna!
Lisa, using curiosity is one of my favorite methods for keeping anxiety under control. I know what you mean about getting lazy; “mind management” as I call it, requires regular maintenance! Here’s to a fresh start and smoother days ahead!
Donna, thank you for linking up with Sweet Tea & Friends this month.
My pleasure sweet friend!!
Donna,
I love the ‘ask’ and ‘act’ sections! They are thought-provoking and other-focused–something I need when my mind spins down an anxious path. Thank you!
Blessings,
Tammy
Thank you, Tammy, I love practical tips that keep us focused on pursuing God and truth. I have found these so helpful too, when I get stuck in overthinking!
I had no idea that curiosity releases dopamine! And I love the idea of “wonderspotting”. Thank you so much for this post.
YES! Who can’t use a little more dopamine? Curiosity actually triggers that pleasure part of our brains, maybe that’s why children are generally happy!
I’ve noticed how being curious steps me into a growth mindset rather than in a fixed mindset. But I hadn’t linked it to anxiety so eloquently as you have!
Yes, Lynn, isn’t it amazing how a little curiosity shifts us into growing rather than stagnating? I’m also amazed at how well it works to relieve anxiety!
Donna, this is fantastic. Humm… I never thought of it like that. Thank you for bringing this to the for front for me. Boy, did I ever glean a lot from this message.
Let’s Have Coffee #7
Thank you, Paula! Curiosity is a powerful tool for helping us get the right perspective on things!
Donna, this is so interesting. I have never thought of curiosity in this way. But after reading your article I do see my moods shift from anxiety to peace when I move to curiosity instead of feeling stuck in a situation. Thank you for these encouraging tools.
Deborah, I learned so much this past month exploring curiosity with the Lord. I am curious by nature, so it comes easy for me, but learning to employ curiosity as a tool for taming anxiety was a bonus!
Donna, your line, “The artfully crafted question illicits information, but even more, it demonstrates your interest in others from the perspective of an open mind.” stood out to me because I am not a good question-asker. My husband is excellent at asking questions and I often feel he asks enough for both of us! But I like how you pointed out that question asking demonstrates interest in others. So maybe it IS a good thing, after all!
Jerralea, my husband calls me the Question Queen because I ask good questions, and partly because he is jealous! He never thinks to ask questions and he feels the same way, I ask enough for both of us! But I learned to become good at asking questions for the very reason you cite-it shows interest in others!
Donna, I’ve never thought about how curiosity can help tame anxiety. I so appreciate the many different ways we can practice curiosity in the various areas of our lives.
This: “Shifting to a curiosity-driven mindset chooses a view of new, beautiful, and interesting things, igniting the brain’s creativity in searching for possibilities instead of problems.”
I find that looking for glimpses of God’s beauty in my days is helpful for opening my mind and wondering what He will show me.
Great post, my friend!
Jeanne, to be honest I never thought about curiosity helping anxiety either, but as I explored curiosity this past month, the Lord opened my eyes to this wonderful tool! I agree, as I incorporate looking for glimpses of God throughout my day, my mind is more open to not only to receiving Him, but all He desires to show me!
This is of particular interest to me for 2 reasons:
Dopamine is apparently what I am short on with Parkinson’s disease.
I just read Lore Wilbert’s A Curious Faith which is truly a permission slip for us to ask questions and follow the wonder.
Michele, you strike me as a curious learner! I can imagine you exploring so many things. The book sounds great and falls in line with the curiosity nudge I received from God! By the way, I pray for you and your health weekly!
Curiosity has led me to increased knowledge, increased humility, and increased problem solving, Donna, but I haven’t thought of curiosity in regard to taming anxiety. You highlight a wonderful alternative!
Are you free to share with us some of your “fabulous questions” or questions we might “never have thought of” that you share when you are teaching new orientees? Or is there training material online you can point us to that we might grow in our people skills?
Lisa, curiosity is a powerful and interesting tool! I’m afraid my fabulous questions live in my mind! I will have to consider a post or at least a resource about asking good questions, thank you for the suggestion!