In my youth, I distinctly remember the overwhelming fear of being in survival mode, dominated by a consciousness of poverty, scarcity, and hopelessness. I also remember faint but potent moments of curiosity.

I can’t pinpoint exactly when I decided to transition from living in fear to embracing curiosity, courage, openness, connection, and a desire to understand. This shift feels like an ongoing journey—using the powerful, innate energy of curiosity to prevent fear from wreaking the havoc it has inflicted on many lives.

I describe curiosity as innate because, from a young age, we are driven by a desire to explore and understand the world around us. This natural inclination propels us to “seek out new life, and new civilizations,  to boldly go where no one has gone before...”   Apologies for the Star Trek reference; I’ll stop— where was I?

Curiosity helps us seek new information, perspectives, experiences, and insights that fear would hijack and cause us to abandon for FEAR.

They say that “curiosity killed the cat,” but fear can consume all nine lives in one fleeting moment. Ultimately, it comes down to a choice: do we want to live constricted and paralyzed, or do we want to expand our horizons and enhance our ability to perceive, adapt, and create? I believe that curiosity is not just a substitute for fear; it is a potent alternative to being reactionary. It steers us away from making snap judgments, taking things personally, and succumbing to our unconscious biases. Curiosity opens the pathway to compassion, empathy, understanding, and deeper connections to everything.

This month, I challenge you to approach each moment of fear, stress, or anxiety with curiosity. Allow your curiosity to empower you with the courage to confront and ally with your internal fears, transforming them into something constructive rather than debilitating. If this seems daunting, start by simply contemplating the difference between fear and curiosity. Try to recall a time when, despite fear, your desire to understand took over, and curiosity prevailed.