My mom, a now-retired artist and creative, fostered my interest in the arts, teaching me how to draw, craft and sew. Nowadays, my creativity mainly shows up through writing, but recently, I started practising bass guitar. It started when Jamie, my husband and a bass player, taught me the melody to “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes.
I was hooked.
To say I love music is an understatement; going to local shows with friends is how Jamie and I met (fun fact: It’s also how we met Stef Martin, the editor-in-chief of this magazine). Throughout my life, my passion for music has helped me find new creative outlets, which in turn helped me to be curious about the world around me.
Humans seek meaning, and the more answers we find, the more satisfied we are. We’re fascinated by the future and new possibilities, we’re natural explorers, and ultimately, we’re motivated learners because we need to survive.
If you long to get back to your true self, follow your natural curiosity. “Curiosity has us fascinated by a topic and wants us to research and learn about it,” says Krista Kankula, a creativity coach and workshop facilitator in Dutton, Ont. “That new learning and information can lead to solving problems, having a new insight or thinking about things differently.”
In other words, being creative.
Curiosity leads to new ideas, says Michele Cipressi, a “creative depth” coach from Grand Forks, BC. And new ideas are the gateway to discovering your passions – your creativity – which Cipressi defines as “transforming your ideas, imaginations and dreams into reality.”
Some studies show that curiosity leads to cognitive growth: The more curious your brain is, the more active (and smarter) it becomes. Other studies show that curiosity affects memory. When research participants were curious about a fact, they were 30 per cent more likely to recall it. This corresponded to heightened levels of dopamine in the brain, which is associated with reward and the enhanced formation of new neural connections. Curiosity seems to prepare the brain to absorb important information, resulting in a more stable memory.
Curiosity also increases our development and the ability to iterate. “In education, greater patience and prolonged engagement are likely to lead to extended research, deeper learning, and understanding. Curiosity is a strong predictor of academic success,” according to a 2022 Duke University study.
Fear, overthinking and even too much discipline can hinder curiosity and creativity. Be aware of your feelings, feel free to experiment, and embrace uncertainty and imperfection. “Creative blocks exist for a lot of reasons,” Cipressi says. “We all have an inner critic. It can be an internalized parent who told us not to dilly-dally or make silly paintings when we should be doing homework. We have to unpack these unhelpful messages as adults to recover our creative selves – through therapy, coaching or group programs.”
Can you teach yourself to be more curious and ultimately lead a more creative life? You sure can.
Somewhere along the line, we quashed our childlike wonder. Next time you’re in a conversation, give space to the person you’re speaking to. Let them share their story, but don’t be afraid to gently explore. Approach conversations with humility and empathy by asking questions that begin with “What if . . . ,” “I wonder why?” or “How does that work?”
Meditation and rest regulate our nervous systems, which boosts creativity. Cipressi recommends “natural bodies of water, canoeing – any activities that create peace and relaxation.” She adds, “Sometimes I think we’re not connected to our creativity because we’re just darn tired. Sometimes we need a reset.”
Explore what interests you. Cipressi embraces micro-movements: “If it feels daunting to create a picture, break it down and just make marks on paper.” Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love and Big Magic, says that interests like gardening or cooking can evolve into passionate pursuits and unexpected sources of inspiration.
Cipressi adores The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron, a book many swear by when they’re in a creative rut. Try the daily morning pages – three pages of stream-of-consciousness writing – to express yourself before settling in. Schedule a weekly artist’s date by setting creative time in your calendar to walk and photograph your surroundings, visit a museum, shop for supplies, watch a film or create a vision board. The options are endless.
Connect with other creatives in your community. “Our curiosity leads us to other people. Find a group online, or gather for workshops or meet-ups,” Kankula says. “You can’t help but want to create when you’re around others who also want to create.”
Dorothy Parker once wrote: “The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.” Many studies have found that allowing your mind to drift can enhance brain function. When we discover an intrinsically rewarding, immersive activity, we reach a flow state (being “in the zone”), which can improve our energy and focus. “Having time to play is important, where you’re doing an activity with no outcome or goal,” Kankula says. “Think about what activities feel playful to you. When you were younger, what were you drawn to? What did you get lost in doing?”
Without curiosity, there would be no creativity. Without creativity, there would be no humankind. As for me, I’ll be noodling on bass every week. I’ve carved out time to play and learn from Jamie, who’s been generous enough to teach me some basics. While I picture myself as a musician in some famous band down the line, I’m playing bass for now for pure joy.
