The Power Of Staying Curious
The New Year has arrived along with a roster of new talent to appear on the Niswonger stage. Some star names are familiar and others are likely to be new to you. We count that as a benefit to feed your curiosity. By raising the curtain on what's not known, you will be ushering in the exhilarating opportunity to see something fresh and new. It is often human nature to settle into routines and preferences that keep us from new adventures. We hope to give reason to bust out and try a new entertaining route.
We are all born curious, but the desire to explore the unknown dwindles as we age and become "comfortable." Children are known to be incredibly inquisitive and opt to seek out the unknown around them for no other reason than to gain understanding. A part of our fading curiosity as we age can be ascribed to a phenomenon known as "brain economy." The brain works on building and reinforcing neural pathways and energy-saving shortcuts so that we don’t have to expend mental energy on new stimuli. However, it is important to stay curious as it can improve our learning mechanisms and improve brain function.
Scientifically, our brains are proven to trigger higher dopamine levels when we are not familiar with the stimulus. So, experiencing a new performance or genre can improve dopamine release and offer a quick mood boost, improve decision-making abilities, and prevent mental health diseases and depression.
Sonia Vadlamani, a blogger for happiness.com states 8 ways to stay curious. Sonia states that, "Curiosity is akin to a mental muscle that can weaken if we don’t exercise it often. That’s why we need to make it a habit to flex it and stay curious on a consistent basis."
1. Ask questions relentlessly, 2. Step out of your comfort zone, 3. Nurture a wide range of interests, 4. Gain new perspectives, 5. Cultivate awe every day, 6. Look at learning as a privilege and fun, 7. Meet other curious people often, 8. Be curious about yourself. Look inward for attentive self-reflection.
Staying in our comfort zone is convenient, especially since we humans are disciplined to choose familiarity over uncertainty. However, staying within the confines of what we know stifles creativity and leads to complacency. In fact, living more adventurously and replacing fear of the unfamiliar with a healthy curiosity is what some great artists do differently. Rekindling the desire to stay curious can help us feel alive, youthful, and adventurous.
At Van Wert Live, we believe that entertainment provides an ever-flowing fountain of opportunity to indulge curiosity. New artists, new musical styles, and new forms of entertainment are all right here within our reach. Raising the curtain on curiosity opens up an entirely new world of adventure. We recommend that for every event you know, choose one that's a new-to-you show. Raise the curtain on your curiosity and you may be surprised by what you discover. Start your adventure today by visiting vanwertlive.com.
