I am a learner. Constantly growing, digging deep and exploring not only the my own mind, but the minds of those who allow me close enough to explore theirs.
I notice things: small subtleties, habits, tendencies, perspectives and it’s off-putting for a lot of people. Because when you only know someone for a few months and yet you tell them things about them that they never knew about themself they’re either intrigued and appreciative or offended and pull away.
But when you are objectively observant and communicate that observation in the form of a question, the room shifts. You hear the gears in their brain turn. And you can hear their own inner reflection.
“I’ve never thought about it that way before.”
That sentence is easily one of my most favorite sentences to hear because it fosters a potential growth and reflection rather than pride and self preservation.
When someone goes exploring in my brain and asks me questions to chew and reflect on, while they give objective observations of me, and I say, “I’ve never though about that before” ,you can guarantee I’ll be thinking about, dissecting and reflecting on their observation for the next few days if not longer.
Find people in your life who are genuinely intrigued by your mind. And be intrigued by the depth of theirs too.
My most treasured compliment has never been on my looks, or any other attribute of vanity but rather it was a simple comment stating:
“You have a fascinating mind.”
The brain is a muscle. You gotta work it.
“Is it worth it? Let me work it, I put that thing down flip it and reverse it.” as rapper Missy Elliot would say.
She wasn’t talking about the brain but she might as well have been considering the brain is the gateway to everything else— you better do your best to develop it and spend your time in the present exploring the minds of others too.
andrea statler 