Home
>
Positive Attitude Tips
>
Mindfulness and Curiosity: Inspiring Affection

Mindfulness and Curiosity: Inspiring Affection

"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." -------Albert Einstein

I like to think of Mindfulness and Curiosity as best friends.

If Mindfulness is the quiet one noticing new things, Curiosity is the more energetic one willing to explore the details and play with every new discovery.

Sure, they could go their separate ways, but their relationship is enriching and enjoyable. They learn more together, and they have a whole lot more fun than they ever would on their own.

Mindfulness and Curiosity go hand in hand. The best approach to mindfulness is one that encourages the development of a hearty curiosity in all those novel stimuli that get noticed.

It's no secret that lifelong learners are those who tend to be the most curious about the world, and it stands to reason that the ones who keep poking around are likely to learn more than those who are happy to rehash the same ideas repeatedly.

Besides helping you learn more and develop greater awareness of the world around you, the mindful/curious combo is likely to result in less prejudice, deeper engagement, and higher self-esteem. At least, that's what the latest research tells us, and I tend to trust those Harvard folks on this one.

How does mindful curiosity reduce prejudice? It's simple if you think about it. Being mindful of others who are different leads to a heightened awareness of our behavior and attitudes. This opens the door to curiosity, which can guide us to learn more about others and to find significant ways in which we are similar.

When we meet others with obvious physical differences--whether that's race, height, weight, eye color, hair style, or fashion sense--we tend to first notice what is different. It's like that childhood song, "One of these things is not like the other...." We see the differences FIRST, and that's natural.

But that's not the end of the story. Our mindful curiosity can help us find common ground. In the same way, others we see as similar to us become more fascinating as we get to know them better and recognize their unique qualities.

In other words, we need to see both the differences AND the similarities in order to learn the most and increase our awareness of others as well as gain a greater understanding of ourselves. The more we see ourselves as mindful, curious people with an interest in others, the more likely we are to continue to engage in the world around us with wonder and affection.

This is true for art as well as people. It has been shown that we like art or music that we have been instructed to notice. Of two people shown the same unfamiliar piece of artwork, the one instructed to notice three interesting aspects of the piece is far more likely to report later that they like it.

I love the beauty and power of this notion.

If all it takes to develop greater affection for a person, place or thing is simply being instructed to find interesting aspects, then we need to start doing exactly that. By strengthening our mindful/curious quotient, we can ensure our continued development as kind, compassionate, generous and happy individuals.

How curiously simple--and stunningly significant.

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse in Portland, Oregon. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she teaches fun and effective eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.massageyourmind.com

licensed cleaning services Park Ridge ..

In The News:

Chrome extension spyware disguised as a free VPN service highlights security risks after it captured private browsing data from trusted sites.

New research shows how fatty acids in cooking oil can safely dissolve and recover silver from circuit boards without harmful chemicals or environmental damage.

The Fox News AI newsletter gives you information on the latest AI technology advancements, and about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Anthropic investigates alarming AI abuse case where hacker automated entire cybercrime campaign using Claude, stealing sensitive data from defense and healthcare firms.

TikTok, Meta and YouTube restrict Charlie Kirk shooting videos with age gates and warnings while X faces criticism for allowing continued circulation.

Cybercriminals use fake troubleshooting websites to trick Mac users into running terminal commands that install Shamos malware through ClickFix tactics.

San Francisco startup Fable launches Showrunner, an AI platform dubbed the 'Netflix of AI' that generates animated episodes from text descriptions with Amazon support.

Apple raised iPhone prices for some models despite receiving tariff relief from President Donald Trump, with the new lineup starting at $799 for the base model.

A two-story 3D concrete printed home in Western Australia demonstrates faster construction methods that could reshape American housing amid rising costs.

Credit scores remain important during retirement for insurance rates and housing applications, while seniors become prime targets for identity theft and financial scams.

Scammers now send unexpected packages with QR codes that redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malicious software to steal sensitive information.

Meeting AI tools record private conversations alongside work discussions, creating privacy risks that can be managed with proper settings and awareness.

Hotel privacy concerns are valid but rare, with methods to detect hidden tech using smartphone flashlights, mirror tests and scanning apps.

Improve your Wi-Fi speed and reliability with 10 simple router optimization tips that don't require special apps or expensive subscriptions.

A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.

Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.

Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.

OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.

A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.

The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.

Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.

Protect your home network by enabling proper encryption, creating strong passwords, checking connected devices and using VPN and antivirus software.

The Navy's solar-powered Skydweller drone flew nonstop for 73 hours in Mississippi, proving renewable energy can power long-endurance military missions.

Moving and downsizing expose seniors to identity theft and scams as data brokers collect real estate records and personal information to sell to criminals.

ShengShu's Vidar technology revolutionizes humanoid robot training by using AI-generated synthetic video, reducing required training data from hours to just 20 minutes.

Mindfulness and Curiosity: Inspiring Affection

Positive Attitude Tips