Thoughts on “Curious”

Some Thoughts on Dr. Todd Kashdon’s “Curious” Book

 

     The strength of curiosity/love of learning is one of the routes to Wisdom and Knowledge, according to Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman and Dr. Chris Peterson, leading Positive Psychologists.

 

     Dr. Kashdon’s book details scientific research he has found that supports his theme, that curiosity is the central ingredient to leading a fulfilling life. To him, “Curiosity is about how we pay attention to what is happening in the present.”  Seligman and Peterson’s definition is “Curiosity involves the active recognition, pursuit, and regulation of one’s experience in response to challenging opportunities.”

 

     Dr. Kashdon writes that with curiosity you can build knowledge, skills, strengths and meaning. Intentionally focusing your most valuable assets of time and energy can change and enhance life’s moments.

 

     Hands on strategies and the science about how they work can help you gain insight. Using the results in daily life can deepen passion and excitement helping to create long-lasting satisfying relationships. Research even shows that becoming a curious explorer can provide relief to problematic anxiety.

 

     The dark side of curiosity is not overlooked.  Those too intense interests some people have in sex, death, etc. run counter to healthy useful contributions to society.

 

     Guidelines are presented for increasing opportunities to create meaning and purpose. He gives scientific support for curiosity as one of the paths to a healthy, satisfying and long-lasting life. Exercises and tools are in the appendix to use to increase curiosity in your life.

 

     I only write on this blog about books I can recommend. My interest in the 24 strengths as routes to the six culturally recognized virtues loves this one for the approach taken toward increasing the use of curiosity in daily life.

 

Rita M. Thompson

www.ritathompsoncoaching.com

“Healing Spaces, The Science of Place and Well-Being” by Esther Sternberg, M.D.

 

I learned of Dr Sternberg’s writing in Supervision Class taught by Anne Durand, Director of Training at my favorite coach training school, Mentor Coach LLC. I read the assigned book “The Balance Within” by the same author and have since reread it. Good books make me want to do that.

 

This one is another thought provoking good read. As a Life and Business Coach with educational and positive psychological interests,  places and spaces intrigue me for their benefits toward a flourishing life. This is filled with the latest neuroscience, medical, and psychological studies and activities that increase balance and healing spaces and places in the mind and body.

 

Beautiful scenes, colors of various wavelengths, different sounds and silence, touch and smell- all have an effect on our moods, emotions and responses to our environment.

 

Place cells are nerve cells that register location in space and pull together the sensory inputs we receive. This is a process necessary for the creation of an integral sense of place, an internal map with harmony integrating landmark images from experiences that form our internal compass.

 

There are also healing thoughts, healing prayers and visions that inspire others, such as the well-known healing place Lourdes, giving hope that a place will heal.

 

The author cites the new field of “evidence-based design” that evaluates the health benefits of architectural features in hospitals. A study found that patients healed faster when their room had a vista window.  Less noise, vista windows, access to nature, green spaces and visiting space decreased stress and increased healing.

 

Building urban spaces like bike trails, parks, and wide sidewalks can have an effect on activity and exercise, both beneficial to healing and staying healthy.

 

I particularly liked the term “walkability” in building design for its value for exercise, social needs, beauty in nature and thus health and healing.

 

It is important to each of us to find our own place of peace and healing for our own physical and mental health. It may be in a garden, hearing music in church, the calming movement in a labyrinth, a breathtaking vista, a favorite viewing place, flowing river water, sounds of a fountain or birds chirping, a familiar prayer and pleasant memory for examples.

 

The inner peace then helps us create beneficial environments for others. That is why I

recommend this book for a good understanding of Healing Spaces and the Science of Well-Being.

 Rita M. Thompson

www.ritathompsoncoaching.com.

Happiness,Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth

A recommended reading is “Happiness, Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth” by Dr. Ed Diener and his son Robert Biswas-Diener.

 

Scientific evidence of the value of genuine happiness is cited, emphasizing that happiness is a process that when filled with positive emotions for right purposes, creates life satisfaction.

 

“Psychological wealth is your true total net worth, and includes your attitudes toward life, social support, spiritual development, material resources, health and the activities in which you engage.”

 

The book offers many words of wisdom to live by, such as “Be happy for the right reasons” and pay attention to the good in others, and the beautiful things that are going right. Thinking that most people are doing their best and people with serious problems deserve compassion is a healthy attitude.

 

The model for a happy approach to life is AIM, Attention, Interpretation and Memory. This means: paying attention to the beauty and goodness around you, while aware of negatives, interpreting events as inspirational and preserving their self-esteem, and active appreciation of the past such as savoring memories.

 

The authors include some tests to measure your own satisfaction with life, emotional well-being and psychological flourishing.

 

This book helps the reader use the practical and scientific studies of psychological value for leading a life of genuine happiness.

Moving Forward

How I love it when a client/coachee overcomes a block and is energized to move forward in life.

It could be exercising to lose weight or become fit or it might be any dream or value a person wants to achieve in life.

It is good for us to continue to grow and learn and as we seek what is good for us, and avoid what is bad, we move toward wisdom.

We can’t avoid all pesticides, synthetic sweeteners, fluorescent lights, bad air and toxic people, but we can try. In doing so we seek good and the more good in the universe the better we live.

As a coach I love to help people tap into their inner resources that lead to higher levels of positive energy. They not only experience greater happiness, they give more to the betterment of the whole universe.

A Challenge

Research is proving the value to health and happiness to you and your community, of doing acts of charity, kindness and gratitude.

An excellent coaching skill is the Challenge, where the coach requests the client to stretch beyond self-imposed limits.

It works like this. I, a Life Coach, Challenge you, the reader, to look around your environment and find something that needs to be done to make it better and do it.

Pay attention to how you feel when you do it, the reaction of the person who receives its value, and your reaction to that.

Note the chain of events and the effect it produces. Remember, even if you don’t get thanked, you may be helping someone learn to do so next time.

Another good act you can do is to write (e-mail) me a brief note of the act you did, how you felt doing it and the reaction of any person involved.

W