In my OASIS Conversations Course, I ask participants to experience being curious with a partner. I instruct them to be genuinely curious about their partner and begin each sentence with, “I’m curious….For example, they could say, “I’m curious about your experience with your cat that I see on Zoom.” or “I’m curious about how you plan to spend the holiday.”  or “I’m curious about your role and how you are applying what we are learning.” When a person is genuinely curious, their partner seems to come to life. The partner shares freely and both partners are energized and experience connection.  In fact, the energy of the whole class is elevated with this simple exercise. 

Recall a topic or area that you are curious about. For example, I am genuinely curious about what motivates people and how to create positive and productive relationships and environments. I studied Organization Psychology and am always learning and  experimenting. I feel excited to develop new models and understandings. Notice where you sense the curiosity in your body. I notice that my chest is open and I feel lighter. 

When we are genuinely open-minded and curious, we create an open environment for connection and learning. 

When we are not genuinely curious there is a lack of connection. We are not curious when we feel we must find an answer and feel a pressure to solve something. 

Pay attention to your experience of curiosity today. Experiment with being curious in your interactions. Notice where you experience curiosity in your body and the impact of curiosity.