E109 The POWER of Curiosity: How to Grow Your Brain to Learn and Be Happier
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Hello, my creative friend. Welcome back to another episode of Create Today with Beth Buffington. Today we are going to talk about something deceptively simple but extraordinarily powerful. We're going to talk about curiosity, not curiosity as a fleeting feeling or curiosity as something just for children, but curiosity as a brain reshaping force, one that changes how you think.
How you feel, how you adapt, and how creatively alive you feel in your every day. And stay with me through the end of this episode and you'll walk away with a clear understanding of how curiosity actually [00:01:00] changes your brain so you can learn better and feel better. You'll also get a practical list of how you can live a more curious life starting today.
We will also talk about how curiosity gives you access to the brain's reward system. And that is something we've all heard about dopamine, but we're going to learn about it in a way that dopamine builds your mind, not just gives you a hit of stimulation.
And we're gonna understand why that difference matters more than ever in our world today. So let's. Let's begin now. Now here's the gigantic shift in your thinking that is going to happen today, and I want you to realize it right out of the gate. Your brain is not passive. It is not stuck. And it is never too old to learn new tricks. [00:02:00] Your brain is a creative powerhouse and it's designed to grow through exploration, novelty, and meaning and curiosity is one of the fastest, healthiest ways to activate excitement and learning and joy in your life through what it does.
Inside your brain, curiosity changes how the brain approaches the world. When you're curious, your mind naturally begins bridging ideas and connecting things that. That don't seem related at all. At first. Curiosity softens rigid thinking, and our world right now is filled with rigid thinking, A or B. You choose nothing in between.
That's rigid thinking, but curiosity softens that kind of thinking.I mean, how often have you or someone you know, said That's just how we've always done it.
Curiosity replaces [00:03:00] certainty. That's how we've always done it with openness. Well, that's how we've always done it. But maybe there's something new that we could do. And curiosity invites what psychologists often call a beginner's mind, which is a mindset that says, well, you know what?
I don't know yet, and that's okay, or That's what we've always done, but I'm open to learn new things. I'm ready to learn and I'm prepared not to be perfect at these new ways of thinking or these new beginnings that I might be making. That shift alone opens the door. To new possibilities, new solutions, and new opportunities.
So let me give you an example. Imagine that you're working on something creative. Maybe it's a piece of writing a project of some sort, whether that's art or a spreadsheet or even decision that you need to make in your life. [00:04:00] And nothing seems to work. Nothing feels right. You feel stuck. If you sit at wherever you are, your desk, your studio in front of your canvas, wherever you happen to be, and you just keep pushing, pushing, pushing, thinking, I need to figure this out.
What is the answer? Your thinking at that point. Usually gets more narrow and gets more panicked too. Grinding your way to a decision is rough and it feels rough, and it often doesn't provide the best solution to the problem that you are trying to solve.
But when you allow your brain to be curious and get curious, you'll discover that being curious brings something different to problem solving. Instead of forcing a solution, curiosity might pull [00:05:00] your attention somewhere. Unexpected. Curiosity lets you think sideways. It lets you think outside of language, it lets you see options and possibilities and opportunities and solutions In unusual places, you might overhear a conversation.
You might notice colors or textures or sites and sounds in places that have nothing in common to the problem that you need to solve. You might read something unrelated, entirely unrelated, that makes you think, huh? Well, that reminds me of this thing that I'm working on. And without effort, your brain starts to quietly link these unrelated experiences together.
Texture, emotion, memory, sometimes even sensory things, taste, sights, sounds, smells, all of these things. Suddenly having association. And then suddenly [00:06:00] the blue something clicks. I was working on a project for wine bottle holders one year, and I was trying to come up with some novel design ideas and it was an uphill battle.
I was researching wine bottle holders and I was looking at what had always been done, and it seemed like all the ideas I started having looked very similar to some things that had already been done, and I thought, no, I want these to look different. How can I do this? Then one night when I was away from my studio, I was on Pinterest just floating around looking at things, and I was kind of interested in some jewelry that I was thinking about buying to go with a new outfit that I had.
So I was looking at some statement bracelets, some cuffs, and then I found. Something intriguing. I suddenly realized the commonality between the shape of wine bottle holders [00:07:00] and wrists or cuffs in jewelry, and it opened a faucet of ideas for my project. I was so stuck on seeing what had already always been done.
This is how we've always done it, that I was afraid to look past what the norm was for this kind of design. I suddenly had so many ideas thinking about jewelry with wine bottles that it was hard for me to get them sketched quickly enough. Now, that wasn't magic. That was curiosity opening communication between neural networks in my brain and the, these were compartments that didn't usually talk together.
Me looking for outfit ideas and me doing design work. Suddenly they were allowed to connect to each other because of the curiosity that was opening up the networks, [00:08:00] the compartments. My brain. See curiosity. It's like having a wingman in your brain that is constantly introducing and networking this area and that area in your brain to work together.
Hey, brain, have you met this part of your brain? You know, it was a huge way to introduce some novel ideas, and that's often where creative breakthroughs live. Not in the effort of grinding to a solution, but in the openness of exploring areas. Unrelated. Now, let's talk about what actually is happening inside your noggin when you allow curiosity to open up your brain
Neuroscience research shows that when curiosity is activated, the brain engages its dopamine system, and that's the same system involved in motivation, anticipation, and reward. But here's the important distinction. [00:09:00] Dopamine isn't just about pleasure. It's also about learning when curiosity is sparked.
Dopamine helps prepare the brain to absorb this new information. It enhances activity in the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain, involved in memory formation
Researchers at the University of California, Davis did a study and participants were given trivia questions, and then they were asked to rate how curious they were about the answers they gave when their curiosity was high. I. The participants not only learned the answers better, but they also had improved memory for unrelated information.
The findings illustrated that curiosity puts your brain into a state where it soaks up information more broadly and deeply. Kind of like a sponge. And there's more [00:10:00] that curious state boosts activity, not only in the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in forming new memories, but it also enhances interaction between the hippocampus and the dopamine reward network.
This neuro dialogue between novel experience, reward, anticipation, and memory systems gives curiosity. Its superpower. It literally builds neuro pathways by making the process of learning feel rewarding, which reinforces the brain's natural capacity for adaptation and connection.
In simple terms, curiosity puts your brain into a growth ready state. It's saying, I wanna learn and I wanna remember what I've learned because it makes me excited and happy. It doesn't just help you learn one thing better. It makes your brain more receptive over [00:11:00] all. And the best part, your brain can do this no matter how old you are.
and this is why I'm so excited to share this topic with you today. Because not only are you learning how to learn better, but overall it's going to make you happier and healthier in heart, mind, body and soul. Curiosity is a superpower.
Now I want to pause for just a moment because we need to understand something about dopamine. It often gets misunderstood. You see, we live in a world full of fast dopamine hits. we are doom scrolling, we are watching short videos, we are doing online gambling.
We are even buying that next great thing. and a lot of that is spur of the moment online purchasing that retail therapy that feels so good in the moment. These activities trigger dopamine through novelty and [00:12:00] unpredictability, and that is why they feel exciting and good at the moment, and that is why they can be so addictive.
But here's what you need to understand, these kinds of dopamine spikes, the scrolling, the short videos, the online gambling, even online buying. They stimulate the brain, but they don't necessarily grow it. You feel good for a moment. It's a momentary spike of deliciousness, but you're not better for it because of that dopamine hit doom.
Scrolling, gambling. They activate the reward system without deeply engaging the networks responsible for learning, integration and creativity. My friend, when you let your brain be curious, curiosity works differently when it comes to dopamine. When dopamine is released through curiosity, through [00:13:00] genuine exploration and questioning and discovery, it strengthens neuropathways.
It supports memory, it builds adaptability, and this enhances your wellbeing through actual growth and resilience. In other words, curiosity. Offers the benefits of dopamine with long term payoffs, not just momentary stimulation. So curiosity is dopamine that teaches, That is a win win. Now, before we go further, I want to stop for a moment and tell you about something that pairs beautifully with everything that we're talking about today.
If you are resonating with this topic and you're thinking about how you can apply this to your life to be better with your wellbeing and your health,
I want to introduce you to Sylva Sessions, my creative wellness membership. This is a space where we explore how creativity supports wellbeing, [00:14:00] not just mentally. Emotionally and physically. Inside Sylva Sessions, we use curiosity as a vital tool to grow your overall wellbeing. We discover how creativity feels and fuels your body, and how being curious can become a source that will enhance your life.
If you're curious about understanding yourself better, Not through comparison or expected productivity, but through creative awareness. Sylva sessions could be exactly what you are looking for. You'll find more information in the show notes, or you can go to www dot b di create today and you can explore the Sylva information on my website.
Now, let's be practical. I am thinking that you might be thinking this talk about curiosity is wonderful, Beth, but how do I [00:15:00] actually get more curious in my crazy busy life? And here's the thing, Curiosity doesn't require big changes or extra time or moments of meditation, but it does ask for attention.
I have a list of seven ways that you can lead a more curious life starting right where you are right now today.
so here are seven ways to lead a more curious life. Number one, ask questions. Without demanding immediate answers. You see, curiosity thrives when we allow questions to stay open for a while.
When we rush to answers, when we grind through to find those solutions, we often default to familiar thinking, letting questions linger. Gives your brain time to explore and make those connections and arrive at insights organically. Like me looking at jewelry and thinking about [00:16:00] wine bottles, and this often happens when you least expect it. Number two. Notice what captures your attention. When you are relaxed, Your most authentic curiosities often appear when your nervous system is calm.
So pay attention to what draws you in during moments of ease on walks in the shower before sleep, or the moment you wake up. These quiet moments, these quiet attractions are valuable clues to what? Genuinely engages your creative mind.
Number three, explore unfamiliar perspectives even briefly. You don't need to fully adapt new viewpoints to benefit from them. Simply exposing yourself to different ideas, cultures, or opinions, expands your mental flexibility. Curiosity grows when you allow yourself to wonder. Huh? [00:17:00] What if that were true?
Hmm? What if my thoughts on this could be different? If you're thinking like this even temporarily, it allows your brain to think what if, and that is going to help your curiosity grow.
Number four, follow interest instead of productivity. Sometimes you see not everything needs to be efficient or outcome driven and and on schedule all the time. Following your interest for its own sake gives your brain permission to wander, explore, and play. These are conditions that support creativity and learning.
Emotional renewal. You see, productivity has its place. We definitely need to be productive, but curiosity needs time to roam, so you need to occasionally just let it have some time. Number [00:18:00] five, choose experiences that invite participation, not just consumption. So let me explain what I mean by that.
Passive consumption like scrolling. Just watching random videos, well, that can stimulate the brain, but active participation helps your brain grow. Activities that involve making and noticing and questioning or interacting. Engage more neural networks and it will deepen your learning.
You see, curiosity strengthens when you are involved, not just observing. Number six, spend time in environments that naturally open up your thinking.
and that would be through movement and nature or being quiet. You see certain environments signal safety and openness to the brain. So when you're moving, when you're walking, or when you're exercising, or when you have time, that you can just take out in [00:19:00] nature and moments of quiet where you can reduce mental noise and in invite creative thought.
These kinds of settings, they help curiosity surface without extra effort. Just by creating the conditions where creativity can thrive. Number seven, allow curiosity to guide learning instead of pressuring solutions and problem solving. When learning is driven by pressure, the brain often narrows its focus, and so.
Your solutions are going to look very similar to stuff you've already done. Curiosity on the other hand,
expands learning, letting interest lead rather than obligation. It helps learning, feel rewarding, sustainable, and deeply integrated. So now you've got a list of things that you can think about to allow [00:20:00] your curiosity to just get loose, right? But let's talk a little bit more about why curiosity matters so much. Right now. We live in a world that rewards certainty, speed, and constant stimulation.
Curiosity allows us to slow down just enough to reconnect to the important things that help with our wellbeing. Curiosity reconnects us to ourselves and to others that we love our neighbors, our friends, our family, and the others that we should get to know.
And. It also gives us a thirst to know more and learn more about things that we don't know yet, so that we aren't always just doing what we've always done before. Curiosity also makes us more adaptable and it helps us understand others' situations, so we become more emotionally flexible [00:21:00] and we are more open to possibilities and we are more open to empathy towards others.
And from a brain perspective, curiosity keeps neural pathways active and communicating and alive. And that's not just creativity, my friend. That is wellbeing. That is what's making you feel happier and healthier, happier in heart mind, body, and soul.
So here is your invitation for the week ahead. Notice one thing that you are genuinely curious about. Not because it's useful, not because it leads somewhere, but because it just draws you in. It makes you go, Hmm, it makes you think, wow. Or huh, I dunno that. Tell me more, then ask a question and take a walk.
Follow a thread. Your brain will know what to do next. Allow yourself to think [00:22:00] sideways. Allow yourself to think without language, and when you allow your brain to wander in its curiosity, I promise that it is going to be so easy for you to stay creative, my friend. I'll see you next week.
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Timeline:
00:00 Introduction to Curiosity
01:43 The Power of Curiosity
03:45 Curiosity in Creative Problem Solving
08:34 Neuroscience of Curiosity
11:26 Healthy Dopamine vs. Fast Dopamine
14:52 Practical Tips for a Curious Life
20:08 The Importance of Curiosity Today
21:28 Your Invitation to Be Curious This Week
