The Power of Curiosity

May 22
2 min read

Curiosity saves lives. It has certainly saved mine. Let me explain.

I recently spoke at the Oxford International Schools Conference on one of my favourite topics: CURIOSITY! And as a home educator myself, curiosity is a way of life! I try hard to make it a daily habit: reading all sorts of books (or listening to podcasts) on random topics, exploring new places, letting my teen choose new 'music' for me to enjoy (if migraines were a sound...)… or following mine and my kids' rabbit trails into new ideas. (One of the best thing about working with brilliant Thinkers - they are ALWAYS introducing me to new ideas/words/questions!!)

But honestly, I work hard to stay curious because curiosity keeps me alive.

I struggle with depression. The dark dog sits often at my heels. And my darkest moments have always shared one thing in common: they are moments when I lose my curiosity. Nothing catches my attention. I have no questions. I stop caring. Colour drains from everything and, honestly, breathing feels like a chore.

Curiosity, on the other hand, is healing. When something sparks that intake of breath, of wonder, a huh? or a why? or a how?, it creates space for life to flood back in. Because you cannot stop caring when you want to know why, or how, or when something happened.

As home educators, I think we instinctively understand this. We chose a path led by questions, rabbit trails, and wonder. That wasn't just a pedagogical choice. For many of our children, and perhaps for some of us, it was a lifesaving one.

I've seen this with young people I've mentored. When I meet them in sad, lonely places, the greatest gift I can give isn't advice — it is curiosity. I am genuinely curious about them: what they like, what they dislike, who they are. Having someone be truly curious about you is powerful. It is so wonderful to be the subject of someone's deep interest! And then we share moments of wonder - exploring ideas together, asking questions, following interests - and I watch their spark reignite. I watch them feel seen. I watch them take charge of their own lives, driven by wanting to find out about the world and about themselves.

Curiosity keeps us alive even in the darkest places.

And if you're a curious mind raising curious minds (and you ask questions like why don't snails have rights? or should I become a cyborg?) my book was written for your family: Seeking the Perfect World: A Critical Discussion of Global Challenges for the Bright and Curious — https://lnkd.in/eKpBW-VH