Curious?

For years I have contended that there was something missing which played an integral role in the development of happiness. Many books have been published with ultra focus on positive affect and "rolling with the punches", but they are incomplete without the consideration of curiosity. This book delves into a key feature of the psyche that has been overlooked for far too long. Kashdan contends that curiosity can be developed and cultivated to predisposition you for happiness in your day to day life - this is exciting news. All too often we find ourselves in jobs we don't like, social functions we abhor and blame each for our discontent. We have learned to buy many things in attempt to discover our happiness when learning to seek the novelty in day to day interactions may prove to be the keystone to development of happiness. Kashdan sets us on the path to learning, defining and developing our own curiosity. He provides the toolkit for the reader to become a curious explorer which his ground breaking book claims will allow the reader to enhance our day to day happiness. Kashdan's writing style in Curious? is scholarly, eloquent and attainable. Throughout the book Kashdan illustrates his research using clear analogies which draw his concepts within reach of a broad spectrum of audiences. Instead of oversimplifying Curious? Kashdan constructs his framework through a meta-analysis of his own and other prominent scholars' research results. It is apparent that Curious? is a result of Kashdan's collaborations, life experiences and observations through clinical counseling; the book does not rests on one man's narrow ideas. What makes Kashdan's observations especially strong is the fact that he has taken great lengths to maintain a macro view on his own ideas as they have formed, followed by drilling down on concepts and applying his mastery. The ideas presented are well thought out and as a result the book is thought provoking. Many will find themselves taking notes and pondering the concepts delivered along with their own outlook on life and happiness. Brains lusting for the new/seeking a fulfilling life: I found a slew of concepts in Kashdan's book to be especially interesting. Naturally the overlying theme is that that seeking a fulfilling life is a found through seeking the new, i.e. being curious. One concept I found particularly intriguing was Kashdan's ideas surrounding conclusion/completion of a learning period. Often times we are caught up in getting things done and "checking the box" so to speak. Kashdan asks us what is next after the conclusion? Curious? addresses completion/conclusion of novelty seeking events as a fundamental problem to happiness which ultimately leads to our stagnation. This not only intuitively sounds correct, it is spot on. Think of how many times in your life you pick up a new hobby or even when you start a new job. At the start of things your mind is racing with excitement and a desire to learn all that you can. Y

I felt drawn to this book. Was it the bright yellow color with the large simple letters of Curious? that drew me? I don't know. I just knew I wanted to read this book. Todd Kashdan wrote a wonderfully exciting book, "Curious?" on exploring our curious behavior. What he wrote resonated within me on how we are programmed early on to live inside the box. Color within the lines. Don't forget to cross your t's and dot your i's kind of life. The formal rigid box society tries to constrain us in causes our spirit to be crushed and we just learn to be, but not live. Todd's focus was how we need to revive that curious spirit and embrace life to the fullest. I enjoyed this book. It even provoked people to ask me what I was reading during my breaks. The banana colored book drew people in like monkeys to bananas. Dr. Todd knows his stuff. He includes extensive notes and references to back up his book. No cotton candy fluff here. This is a must read for anyone in the psychiatric field, human relations, behavioral sciences and the like. It wasn't a dry read either. We all know those kind of stale books and this isn't one of them. You might even get an eyebrow uplifted by a colleague "Curious?" to know what you are reading! Todd examines both sides of curiosity including the darker side. Don't we all have that hidden down in us? You know, like bungee jumping off the Grand Canyon, but most of us only dream of the darker side. Some dark curiosities are really dangerous though, like sexual compulsions, obsessions, etc. However, the theme is to live a curious life and explore,(but be safe). I think what Todd quoted from Deepak Chopra best sums up this book; "I wake up with the hope this day is even more uncertain than yesterday. It is the unknown that we live, breathe, and move in all the time thinking it is known. If a life can be a series of perpetual surprises, that's the most joyous experience you can have." You won't regret reading this book!

Wow, this book is something different. I generally run from any book that smacks of self-help, because the author is always trying to fix the reader. This book is something else entirely. In it, Dr. Kashdan answers everyone who is interested in that proverbial question, "How do I create a life that has meaning?" He uses the insights he has gained as a clinical psychologist, weaves in scientific facts about how people think and act, gives real world examples of people he calls "curious explorers," and provides activities for anyone who wants to up their game when it comes to using curiosity for adding zest to life. Readers are invited to join Dr. Kashdan on a journey of fun exploration that ends in knowing how to use curiosity to infuse life with meaning and joy. A must read!

Like many people, I have kept tabs on the tremendous explosion of books describing or promising happiness. I tend to read them for the science, and occasionally think some strategy or tidbit of advice is worth trying out. Unfortunately, it has gotten harder and harder to find a book that offers anything new, gives me an expanded perspective, or excites me to do something more in my life. This energetically-written book does all of those things. It's an exciting trip through a way of looking at life that embraces challenge, uncertainty, and unfamiliar territory and gives readers some great tools - and a lot of enthusiasm - for transforming anxious and ambivalent moments into a force for growth and fulfillment. The science is top-notch and cutting-edge, and flows satisfyingly into strategies and exercises for unleashing the curious explorer that lurks within us. Unlike many books, Curious? doesn't simply argue that more is always better. Curiosity can lead to troubling places and create distress, too. The book takes a frank look at this side of curiosity. Personally, I especially appreciated Dr. Kashdan's call to make the mundane mysterious. Too often, we get complacent and allow the most important things in our lives (people, jobs, values, our capacity to think deeply about the world) to settle in place like concrete. This book is a great wake-up call. Curious? stimulates readers to reveal for themselves the opportunities and magic that lie all around.

The world of positive psychology officially has too many books about happiness. Those are good books---I won't single them out by name here---but now that we are all sitting around in a state of flourished, self-satisfied contentment, what do we do now? In Curious, Todd Kashdan digs deeper, suggesting that a sense of curiosity, wonder, and meaning is the core of a "fulfilling life." This book is an intriguing mix of narrative, science, and practical advice. Kashdan illustrates how the science of curiosity can be put to use in daily life and how curiosity affects things as diverse as intimacy, purpose, mindfulness, relationship quality, intelligence, and, yes, even happiness. Importantly, he is candid and realistic about the dark aspects of curiosity, such as morbid interests, gossip, and obsessions. There's a lot to say about this book---it covers an incredible amount of ground---but I suppose what it all comes down to is that I got a lot of out it. It's a provocative and illuminating book.