I penned a recent blog post about personality particulars. In today’s missive, I’d like to ponder curiosity, a trait my husband and I have in common, but our relatives in Elsewhere USA don’t share. I know because we’ve just returned from a visit and, as usual, few showed interest in our daily lives. It used to be highly disappointing – well, it still is – but we are no longer dismayed or surprised.

It seems as if we only exist when we are with them… Californians as a concept, if you will.

Curiosity is sometimes considered a personality quirk, but neuroscience paints a different picture. I like when science in on my isde, don’t you.

Some people’s brain’s amygdala responds to change and uncertainty with a classic flight or fightresponse because it regards change as a threat akin to physical danger. This type seems to prefer a highly patterned, predictable life. An assembly line life, if you will, without changes on the horizon. “No” is their brain’s default mode. No changes desired or accepted, no siree.

Spare me, please – and Larry agrees! Adventure is one of our care values. Let’s go! our souls say.

Neuroscience has provided the reason: curiosity helps reframe uncertainty as an invitation, not a threat. Curiosity increases our tolerance for prediction error, the gap between what we expect and what we experience. This makes us more flexible in our thinking, less reactive, and better at revising our mental models, that is, preconceived notions. In fact, I might even state that neither my husband nor I have many set opinions and/or preconceived, set-in-concrete ideas.

Flexible is we.

This way of being enables travel, acts as an emotional buffer (important in these chaotic and fearful times), and helps us deal with surprises in a positive way.

Life as improv and “what if? Is a wonderful way to be.

Unlike many of our friends, who are as advanced in age as us, there’s no need to remind each other of our younger selves (with the exception of pain-free knees). We’re still the same adventurous spirits for whom the word “no” was a challenge to be overidden with spunk and enthusiasm. Whoopee!