where women celebrate their ageless authenticity

Curiosity makes us better as we age

Have you recently found yourself hesitant to ask a question, or try something new, because of what you fear someone may think of you?

Maybe it’s time to re-think your approach.

Time to get curious.

Turns out, as we age, adding a bit of wonder to our repertoire has major benefits. Being an information seeker leads to human connection, learning new things, and ultimately to a more rewarding, longer lasting life.

Albert Einstein said, “Curiosity is more important than intelligence.”

Curiosity is a fundamental part of what makes us human. It’s in our DNA. A motivator. And, like so many things that change over time, our curiosity seems to diminish as we increase in age. We feel more comfortable operating within patterns and activities that make us feel safe.

We can ignite our creativity and boost our imaginations by remaining intellectually curious. Encouraged to “think out of the box,” we generate new ideas.  Curiosity triggers a neural response that makes learning rewarding and enhances our capacity to absorb and retain new information, helping our minds to work with flexibility and efficiency.  Research shows that lifelong learning helps ward off dementia or moderate it at least.

Beyond brain function, curiosity opens a door to living a happy life. Each new experience adds to our confidence and self-esteem. A life direction that distances us from the age-related fears and anxieties we tend to hold on to.  We feel a sense of pride and purpose, still relevant in an ever-changing world. As active partici

pants we are better able to cope more rationally with stress and adversity. Best of all, this open-minded receptivity averts our distressed feelings of isolation, loneliness and boredom. We become seekers who are engaging in the present moment, driven by a desire to find out more about ourselves and what we’re capable of.

The Rewards:

• Memory enhancement: Score better on crosswords, Wordle, trivia.
• Improves cognitive abilities: Challenging ourselves to learn new things helps improve our problem-solving skills while boosting our brain processing speed.
• Coping: Helps us better respond to challenges like changes in our bodies and our environments/living arrangements.
• Enriches our relationships: We are more open to joining like-minded groups, volunteering, making new friends and sharing meaningful experiences.
• Happiness boost: Triggers a dopamine release, the “feel-good” hormone that causes feelings of pleasure, satisfaction and motivation. It feels great and we want more.

Worth Knowing:

• A study in the Journal of Aging found that older adults who scored higher on measures of curiosity had a lower risk of mortality.

 

My Takeaway:

I’ve always considered myself a lifelong learner. Perhaps that’s because I never graduated from college, so I’m still searching under the hood. Led by an insatiable drive where anything is possible. I’ve been fortunate to cross paths with many people along the way. And of those I admire most, they are perennially curious – they know that they don’t know all that much. They don’t demand respect, yet remain humble seekers. As I write this, I’m realizing that the seed for IntentfullyFiT was me sharing my curiosities with all of you. And now here I am, doing just that. Funny how things come full circle. Every day I get to feel like a beginner, an explorer of new things to come. Thanks for arriving in this conversation so we can be curious together. Hope this sparks something new and wondrous for you. (BTW, I’ love to hear all about it)

*Please know you have an open invitation at intentfullyfit@gmail.com to connect with me. I’d love the opportunity to explore a topic you are curious about.