In a previous blog I wrote about courage and the notion that courage is not about the absence of fear, but about how you face the inevitable fear that accompanies any bold, brave adventure.

I talked about how courage is one of my core guiding principles from a personal and professional perspective...and it is certainly something that I need in abundance as I venture into this next chapter of my Opus 29 adventure. Courage, for me, is being able to make brave decisions, believe in my convictions, be bold in the face of adversity and ensuring I keep on slowly inching forward, even when fear is doing all it can to drag me backwards.

And courage was indeed needed in great, big, enormous dollops in the lead up to, and delivery of, my 'Launch and Learn' event at Highnam Court! However, the event was a success and the feedback from delegates is definitely helping me to refine the future and take pride in the courage it took to get there.

Yet courage is only one of my eight, core guiding principles. There are seven more, all of equal importance, that will all help me navigate my way along my adventures as I continue to grow and develop all that Opus 29 has to offer. Kind of like my moral compass and map all rolled into one. Helping me make good choices and decisions on which paths to take and which opportunities to follow. This blog is about the second of those principles. Curiosity.

So why curiosity? And what does it actually mean to me?

I guess at heart, I just love to learn. I am always intrigued by how things work or why people make certain choices. I am interested in the stories people have to tell and what we can all learn from the experiences of others. So interested, in fact, that this is the basis of my ongoing PhD...which I WILL be completing in 2019! Fundamentally I have a passion for learning and discovering, and am always asking 'why?' and 'how?'. I like to think that I have somehow managed to keep hold of the two-year old me who constantly pestered anyone who would listen with those very questions.

As a guiding principle, which has been influenced by so many ideas, theories, moments of inspiration and quotes, this is what curiosity really means to me:

"I am genuinely interested in understanding more about why things work or happen and what motivates others to do what they do. I am driven to discover more about people, places, plans and processes and love to learn new things, or to think about things in different ways.

I am hungry to explore new territories and theories and am always curious to know what sits behind an idea or particular choice. I will seek out, and listen to, the stories that other people have to tell and enjoy spending time helping them to understand why those stories are important.

I will always ask ‘why?’, even when the answer may at first seem obvious, and I have a thirst for trying to understand why and how things work, or don’t work.”

So how will I bring this to life? How will I ensure that curiosity is ever present in all that I do? Well, I promise that I will endeavour to...

Make good choices and decisions based on what I believe – even when those choices are not easy

Accept when there is something that I cannot change or influence

Be willing to ‘show up’ and be myself, however I am feeling

Not being afraid to say ‘I don’t know’ or ‘this is not right for me’

Not forget my dreams and what is important to me, even when the going gets tough

Recognise when I need to take a step back and allow others to lead and explore

Sometimes say ‘no, not yet…’

And most of all I promise to never stop asking 'why?' or 'how?' and I will always be interested in the stories that you have to tell.

If you have a story you'd like to share, or just fancy swapping stories over coffee, then drop me an email to arrange 'coffee and conversation'.

Or...register for my free event 'Creating Connections' at Glasgow Women's Library on 31st October 2018. I would love to see you there.