Are Curiosity and Inspiration the Same Thing?

One of my brilliant client-friends has been feeling into some new direction in her life’s journey and I offered that if the direction felt ‘inspired’, then that was a glorious indicator that it was a stellar direction (choice, opportunity, nudge, offer, invitation, etc.) to follow up on.

She zeroed in on my word choice, ‘inspired’, and posed this observation and question…

“I felt a stirring of curiosity.  Is that the same as inspiration?”

Wow!  …have YOU ever pondered this distinction?

Thanks to this brilliant question, I did…and I discovered some pretty cool stuff!  See if it leaves you curious…inspired…or perhaps curiously inspired!  ;`)

Curiosity & Inspiration Just May Be BFF’s!

According to my MacBookPro dictionary, curiosity = a strong desire to know or learn something. 

And inspiration = the process of being stimulated, a sudden brilliant creative idea, THE DIVINE INFLUENCE that created the Bible (how’s that for awesome!?!)

Curiously Inspired

In my book curiosity and inspiration often go hand in hand.  You might even see them as BFF’s!  

It’s like, curiosity poses the possibility, peaks an option, an interest… and inspiration opens the door and carries me through.

• Curiosity points at something and says, hey, that could be cool, interesting, crazy, awesome, bizarre, fun, odd, etc… I COULD be interested in knowing or learning more about that.
• Inspiration feels it and says, oh yeah…this thought, this idea feels good, I feel good about moving in this direction, something inside me says this is a good idea, the right path in this moment, a good thing for me to try/experience.
• Curiosity feels more mental, in my head…more intellectual and thus more open to my questioning, my analyzing (perhaps even doubting) before I’ve even given it a chance or experienced it.
• Inspiration is pure, positive energy and is resistance free. Inspiration feels good, every time. Inspiration stirs from the heart, not the mind…it’s energy is fueled by the heart & intuition/Source (God’s) Guidance. Inspiration is me, tapped in, tuned in, turned on.
• Curiosity feels limited in it’s motion and movement. I can feel curious about something, but not feel any inspiration or desire to actually act on it. Inspiration is the carrier.
• Inspiration feels limitless, boundless, open, free and full of vitality…it’s the ultimate spark that ignites all.

What exactly does it FEEL like?

If curiosity is accompanied by flutters in the heart or stomach area, some kind of sensation stirring below the head area…inspiration is there, too!

Sometimes, (for me) curiosity stirs when I know I want to step out & try something new…but I’ve not experienced it before…and so sometimes it’s mixed with a wee bit of fear or anxiety of the unknown.

So, I look at that. And I know that any fear I have isn’t my Joy of Brilliance Self talking, it’s that part of me that isn’t sure she can step out of comfort just a little bit to try something new…and I know that the bigger part of me feels and knows that it’s going to be A-OK…(’cause I’m not a thrill seeker, so it’s not like I’d be curious about jumping off a building, or anything else that could bring me real harm! hehe)

After enough times of stepping up to the edge and trying something new, I find more stepping stones along a path that feels more alive and aligned (resonant) with what my heart and soul yearn for (what my Joy of Brilliance, God Given Self yearns for) and inspiration accompanies (and often over-rides) my curiosity.

Can you relate?

I just feel inspired to do it. I love the feeling of inspiration. It’s like a loving propulsion forward. Propulsion without resistance. The kind that carries me forward with JOYful motion.

Whoa!  Did You Feel That?!?

I love noticing even the smallest stirrings of inspiration. Listening for the still voice inside that beckons my attention in one particular direction at just the right moment…

Like… Wow! If I wouldn’t have listened to my inner voice saying, Stop! Look to the left! I would have missed seeing the most beautiful little bird sitting in the bush, hidden completely from one who may have continued on with some other purpose, not listening to the sweet voice of direction from within.

Heart First, Mind in Tandem as Faithful Second

It’s about dropping into the heart space and listening from there. Our culture teaches us out of our heart and into our heads.

• Our heads are wonderful. Our intellect is necessary. And…
• Our heart needs to be in the driver’s seat, giving direction and guidance.
• Our mind/intellect listens and is directed by our heart. Our mind works for us.
• Our hearts (our Divine Selves) give our mind a job to do and our mind acts as the faithful servant to the heart with eager willingness to be guided.

We forget that this is the way it is meant to be.

What is your heart/head relationship?  Have you considered it?  Who’s in charge within you?  Are you heart centered?

When we come into our hearts, everything becomes EASE-ier. Everything begins to make more sense. Isn’t that funny? Our hearts are what helps us get clear…not our minds. Brilliant! 

So, I say…

• Embrace curiosity. 
• And trust inspiration. 

Together, they’ll take you to a more blissfully JOYful experience!

What recent curiosity stirs within you?  Have you experienced inspiration’s invitation lately?  Which of the two leads you to respond more desirably…curiosity or inspiration?  Let’s meet in the comments to further discuss!

In the Flow of JOYful Inspiration…

DebSoul ~ Your Joy of Brilliance Inspired Friend and Guide

Photo:  ’Curiously Inspired’ by ME!  …thanks to my sissy, Deann for modeling, even if she didn’t exactly know that’s what she was doing.  Ahhh…JOY in the moment generally leads to further inspired moments.

Thanks to Lori for inspiring this post and for courageously committing to following her JOY.  Shine On, Brilliant One!