Happiness is... Being Curious.

[smilingbear]

Being curious is such a funny way to be, and a fun part about it is: it
cultivates happiness. Allowing yourself to be curious is sort of like
surrendering to wonder. And when you do, time seems to go away and joy
appears.

Curiosity is seeking to understand (learning for yourself) and
afterward there's an even better part that shows up: being understood
(sharing what you've learned).

You can be curious about anything, even things you already know - if
you wonder about it in a fun way, ask yourself different questions,
maybe you'll discover something you never thought of.

For example, if I'm in the park I'll look at a neat building and
wonder, Who built it? How long did it take? What is the purpose of its
form? Did the architect put his or her signature somewhere? I'll
Imagine the time and effort and ingenuity. It's as if curiosity builds
a story to tell, and you can see how happy someone will be when you
share something you've learned.

The value of happiness is actualized through happy thoughts. And
curiosity leads to happy thoughts. So simply be curious because it's
fun, and without knowing it you'll cultivate happiness.

Here are some random examples. Ever wonder about...

a road sign (Why is it green? Why is it that big or small?)
a spiral staircase
a train station (How long has it been there?)

Or wonder again about...

a picture
a painting
a feeling (What else does it mean?)

What would you love to be curious about?

[da5zeay]

What a great post! I can't think of anything to add at all.

I like the History Channel for fulfilling my curiosity needs.

I like to also know what makes people curious about certain things...I
guess this is curiosity about people themselves and what makes 'em
tick.

[Think_n_See]

Smilingbear's post reminds me of two things:

1) "Allowing yourself to be curious is sort of like surrendering to
wonder." There is a huge idea of being in the now for the sake of
being in the now. Not in the future, not in the past, but in the now.
(I wonder sometimes when I write, am I in the now?)

2) Being curious is how a child is. A child in most psychologist and
researcher circles is the pure, simple, true way to be. Being curious
is being childlike. Is being in-the-moment. Is being aware for the
sake of awareness. You know how babies play with their own feet and
hands and get a kick out of it? That's the same as saying, "who build
that building, and why and how?"

[Weird_Coyote]

I love it how you never stop being curious. As an example, just going
for a walk outside... I'm always so abuzz with curiosity that topics
and questions drift and merge with each other.
Why does the wind feel nice against my face, how is it I can 'feel' the
wind without seeing it, is there a pattern to the way trees move in the
wind, do leaves ever break when they fall to the ground, who came up
with painting the fences alone the beach walk white, how big can a
grain of sand get before it becomes a pebble, why are kite glaringly
flouro coloured now, wouldn't it be nice to sore like a kite, what
would the wind feel like all over you when flying, etc...