Choose to be Curious Lynn Borton

We talk a lot about questions here on Choose to Be Curious. But talking about questions is one thing, really wresting with them is another.

Ken Woodward not only curates questions, he leans into them. Big time. And that has changed his life in ways large and small that are an inspiration to me. I think they will be for you, as well.

“Wrestling with the questions has allowed me space for me to work through the emotions, the thoughts, the processing. All of that comes through questioning, doing some journaling, and kind of making my way through that challenge.” ~ Ken Woodward

Check out Ken's Curated Questions: https://www.curatedquestions.com

Theme music by Sean Balick; “Four Point Path“ by The Bulwark, via Blue Dot Sessions.

The first in a series: looking at a place from multiple perspectives.

I call it "A Mile in Their Shoes".

We begin with people who have chosen to care for a bit of the Earth, the big-hearted, hard-working, fun-loving Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail.

They have found community, purpose and lots to be curious about...

Check out Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail: https://mountvernontrail.org

Music by Warmbody, via Blue Dot Sessions

Photo used with permission of Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail

I’ve been thinking that foraging – going from place to place looking for things one can eat – is a lot like the sampling and prioritizing of information gathering that neuroscientists are studying, just applied to things many of us readily dismiss as "weeds".

Tama Matsuoka Wong is a finance lawyer turned professional forager. She got curious about the “weeds” around her when she moved to a fixer-upper house in northern New Jersey. She started to see them and their ecosystem differently. Now she forages for high-end chefs in Manhattan and is an advocate for thoughtful stewardship of what's naturally all around us.

That struck me as a curiosity conversation worth having.

Learn more about Tama Matsuoka Wong here: https://www.meadowsandmore.com

Theme music by Sean Balick; “Lakeside Path" by Duck Lake, via Blue Dot Sessions.

Today’s conversation with Ben Rein, PhD is a Choose to be Curious trifecta: a neuroscientist, who studies empathy, has devoted himself to science communication, and willingly stands in the chaotic swirl where curiosity can go weirdly very awry.

Ben is a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Robert Malenka's lab at Stanford University and a science communicator on social media. 

You might know him as @Dr.Brein on TikTok or @Doctor.Brein on Instagram. He’s the one summarizing research papers, teaching neuroscience basics, and debunking viral videos that promote scientific misinformation. 

Somehow, Ben has managed to combine curiosity, empathy and social media and have genuine good come of it. At some point in our conversation I declared his work a "special kind of alchemy." I stand by that.

Find Ben Rein, PhD on line at: www.benrein.com and follow him on social media: Instagram: @doctor.brein TikTok: @dr.brein

Theme music by Sean Balick; “Perspiration” by The Ballonist, via Blue Dot Sessions.

Author, journalist, sailor and community radio host Katya Gordon says radio pulls together everything she believes in: a shared purpose, old fashioned connection to one another, a vast array of differing ideas and priorities, and plain old hard work and commitment. 

We had a lovely and candid conversation about curiosity, spirituality, our many media biases, and the power in choosing to trust.

Get to know Katya Gordon through Amicus Adventure Sailing, which she owns and operates with her husband: https://amicusadventuresailing.com/credentials

Check out KTWH 99.5 FM, Two Harbors Community Radio: https://ktwh.org

Theme music by Sean Balick; “Temporal Slip" by CloudBreaker, via Blue Dot Sessions.

Business and popular magazines are riddled with assurances that the best leaders are curious. That where curiosity goes, success will follow. 

I blithely encourage people to “choose to be curious.”

But the truth is: it isn’t that simple.

There is some skill involved. And, not surprisingly, more than a few social constructs.

So, today we’re digging into the social side of curiosity at work with Phil Thompson, PhD. Phil is a professor in the Department of Management at the Pamplin School of Business at Virginia Tech. He’s trying to understand how micro-organizational behaviors such as organizational citizenship behavior, impression management, organizational politics, perceived organizational support, and curiosity influence employees’ job performance.

And, he wants to know, what happens when those dynamics intersect with gender differences?

Check out Phil Thompson's work: https://www.philthompsonphd.com

Music by Sean Balick.