© Copyright 2020 Artwork by Cordi Neckermann
Curiosity might have killed the cat but I think for us humans it is absolutely essential for our well being. Perfectionism is what kills the human. Why do I think that? Because perfectionism shines a big bright light on any self-destructive tendencies and needlessly feeds that monster until it might be too late.
I always try very hard to surrender to happy accidents, and find the silver lining when things go wrong. This doesn’t mean I’m not sad or angry when life serves me a sh** pie. It’s actually the opposite, anger, grief and sadness are necessary to eventually boot into curiosity mode and find a way to deal with a crappy situation. So for us humans curiosity actually keeps us alive and moving forward. Curiosity can potentially take us from having a bad day to best day ever.
But what about being afraid to try something new?
Funny you ask. The fear of trying new things is human. Being cautious is a survival instinct. The fear of failing or not being good enough at something makes us feel exposed and vulnerable. But failure is necessary for us to learn and provides us with the opportunity to become stronger and build resilience. Sharpen our super powers if you will. Knowing what works for us is just as valuable as knowing what doesn’t. Only you have the power to over come the fear of failure by giving yourself permission to ditch perfectionism.
Sticking with the process
So you gave yourself permission to fail but what about sticking with the process, what about the trying? Doing something for the first time can be uncomfortable and sticking with it even more so. But there is something to be said for being in the moment and not thinking about the outcome.
Mindfulness, yes!
And no, you don’t need a mediation pillow, incense or chant a mantra. The first step to mindfulness can be the curiosity of what happens in the next moment without the worry of what the outcome will be. Finding joy in the process is one key to feeling happy and every bit of extra happy added to our life is a win.
Here is some science about that:
Research shows that bringing more happiness into your life has far more benefits than merely feeling good. Improved heart health, ability to combat stress more effectively, stronger immune system are some of these benefits. Feeling happier is beneficial for our health but not if forcing yourself to be happy. True success should be measured by how happy you are rather than how much money you make or people you associate with. - positivepsychology.com
Are you ready to try something new?
Entire careers and life paths are carved out by people dipping their baby toes into small ponds and suddenly discovering a love for something they had no idea would capture their imaginations. - psychologytoday.com
If there is one thing that being stuck at home during lock down taught me, it is the importance of having a hobby that lights me up from the inside. Knowing what it is you can get lost in and forget about time and space is incredibly valuable to our well being and metal health.
Are you ready to try a new hobby like dancing or creating art? Or maybe you want to learn to be more mindful in whatever it is that you are doing already?
I’ve got you covered!
Pop on over to CordiPower.com. This is my happy place where I share my hobbies with the rest of the world. I teach dance fitness in London, Hampstead, I create art on YouTube and I teach beginner yoga classes via Zoom.
Here is my latest creation. How I got over my fear of trying a new art medium and subject. You want to see a big fail? Watch :-) Hope you have as much fun watching it as I had making it.
Stay curious, Cordi