Follow Your Curiosity

This morning, I woke up and realised there’s always something to do. A mountain of chores awaits—no surprise there. As a mum of two and a working parent, responsibilities never seem to end. But it made me think: was it the same before I had kids?

Of course, my life was different. I could travel, go to parties, and do what I wanted more freely. But even back then, I wasn’t without responsibilities. I was building my career, my relationship, and my future. At every stage of life, we carry some kind of load. As a student, I had to focus on my degree, secure a job, and develop as a professional. No, I wasn’t lounging on a beach without a care in the world. I had my own “chores” then too.

But here’s the thing: lately, I feel like I’m suffocating under the weight of my current responsibilities. The days are full of routines—drop-offs, pick-ups, dinners, and bedtime stories. It’s all good and necessary, but I sometimes wonder: is there more to life?

What am I missing?

That question stuck with me, and I’ve decided to challenge myself to find more joy and curiosity in my everyday life. Here’s my plan, and I hope you’ll join me.

1. Challenge Yourself to Notice

So much of life slips by unnoticed, especially when we’re busy. My first challenge is to notice three things every day:

• One thing that brings me joy.

• One thing that makes me laugh (especially things my kids do).

• One thing I’d like to do more of—whether it’s a forgotten hobby, a fun activity, or something spontaneous.

I’ve decided to write them down using a physical notebook, because it’s something that my senses will appreciate - my skin touching soft corners of the notebook. Taking a mental note is anoption but it won’t work for me - I’ll get so overwhelmed by things I want to notice and remember. So back to old-fashioned notebooks.

The idea is that by noticing, I’ll begin to appreciate the small, magical moments that often go overlooked.

2. Pay Attention to What’s Around You

Sometimes the simplest things in our home can spark joy. Challenge yourself to find one item that makes you smile—a photo, a piece of furniture, or even a quirky mark on the wall. Pause and reflect on it. Why does it make you happy? What memory or feeling does it bring up?

This isn’t just about “stuff.” It’s about grounding yourself in the moment and letting positive feelings flood in, even for a few minutes.

The walls of our house are covered with stickers and crayon marks. I used to get upset seeing them - my beautiful house is ruined! But I’ve learnt to appreciate them, they bring back memories of my kids being little and brave enough to ignore my pleas not to drawn on walls. Now I treasure those silly memories, as they form part of our past.

3. Rediscover the Magic of Books

I’ve always loved books with daily prompts or ideas (364 fun facts, draw something every day, a poem a day). I find they’re a great way to spark curiosity. Pick up a book you haven’t read in a while, open a random page and read its message to you. Or go a step further and experiment in a recipe book. Bored of your weekday meals (I know I am), choose a recipe book that grabs your attention, choose a number from as many pages the book has, and see if you can cook what you find.

It doesn’t have to be anything intricate or complicated—just something fun that shakes up your routine. Push your boundaries a little, and you might discover something new about yourself.

I’ve recently started reading a book I bought for my almost 6-years-old called “500 facts about landmarks”! She is into statues at the moment, especially the Statue of Liberty. So we started reading about it and then about other statues. Who would have thought that learning about landmarks could be so fascinating?! But it strangely is.

4. Introduce Something New

Routine is comforting, but it can also stifle curiosity. Challenge yourself to try something new, even if it’s small. It could be a board game with your kids, a new genre of music, or a trip somewhere new that you’ve been putting off for a while (farms and national trust places that are further than 30 min have been on my to-do list for years).

For me, playing games with my five-year-old was a big step out of my comfort zone. I’ve always cringed at board games and especially team-building activities, but starting small—like playing Monopoly or Scrabble with my child—made it more enjoyable. Now, I’m even open to trying bigger group games (well, at least in my head, let’s not push it that far 😆).

5. Embrace Spontaneity

Not everything has to be planned. Let yourself be curious in the moment. Choose someone else’s plans and ideas and follow them for a day. Ask another mum what she plans to do this weekend and either join her or copy her plan. Open Facebook patenting group and follow one of the random activity recommendations from there. Browse a magazine and choose what to do, listen to a podcast, or even ask Google for random ideas.

This kind of spontaneity feeds creativity and helps you break free from the mental load of planning and scheduling every minute. My dream is to have a plan for the weekend ready that I don’t need to sweat on. I love my kids, but coming up with things to do with them sometimes turns me into a plan-zilla, but all I want is a relaxing and fun weekend with my family,

Let Joy Guide You

Curiosity and joy go hand in hand. They’re about finding wonder in the ordinary and making space for fun, light-hearted moments. Maybe that’s as simple as noticing your child’s cheeky smile or watching the way the sunlight hits the kitchen table in the morning.

Joy doesn’t have to be grand or life-changing—it can be quiet and fleeting, but it’s always there if we look for it.

The Challenge

For the next week, I’m committing to these ideas. I’ll notice more, pay attention, experiment with books, and try new things. My goal is to rediscover curiosity and joy in the middle of all the chaos.

If you’d like to join me, pick one or two challenges from the list above and give them a go. Life is busy, but there’s always room for a little curiosity. Let’s make it a priority to notice, explore, and savour the magic in our everyday lives.

What will you discover?

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Love,

Vic 💚