Choose to be Curious

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Choose to be Curious

Lynn Borton

375 episodes

1 week ago

Research tells us that by leaning into externally-focused curiosity – “what do I notice that the world needs?” – and internally-focused curiosity – “How might I be able to contribute?” – we can find meaning and a sense of purpose in our lives. We can find what lights us up. Estee Levine did just that. She got curious about where her passions might fill some of the gaps in her community and she set out to do something with that information. She created CheapNFreeDC, an Instagram account that features destinations and activities that are (you guessed it!) cheap and free in and around Washington, DC. It's a celebration of people, creativity and community. Follow Estee Levine on Instagram @ CheapNFreeDC. Photo's featured artist is Reggie “Art” Gillumo, on Instagram @ artgillumo Theme music by Sean Balick. "UpUpUp and Over” by The Balloonist, via Blue Dot Sessions. Estee is shown in front of a mural by Reggie "Art" Gillumo: https://www.artgillumo.com

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Society & Culture

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Research tells us that by leaning into externally-focused curiosity – “what do I notice that the world needs?” – and internally-focused curiosity – “How might I be able to contribute?” – we can find meaning and a sense of purpose in our lives. We can find what lights us up. Estee Levine did just that. She got curious about where her passions might fill some of the gaps in her community and she set out to do something with that information. She created CheapNFreeDC, an Instagram account that features destinations and activities that are (you guessed it!) cheap and free in and around Washington, DC. It's a celebration of people, creativity and community. Follow Estee Levine on Instagram @ CheapNFreeDC. Photo's featured artist is Reggie “Art” Gillumo, on Instagram @ artgillumo Theme music by Sean Balick. "UpUpUp and Over” by The Balloonist, via Blue Dot Sessions. Estee is shown in front of a mural by Reggie "Art" Gillumo: https://www.artgillumo.com

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Society & Culture

Episodes (20/375)

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #308: CheapNFreeDC: Curiosity, Passion & Purpose, with Estee Levine

Research tells us that by leaning into externally-focused curiosity – “what do I notice that the world needs?” – and internally-focused curiosity – “How might I be able to contribute?” – we can find meaning and a sense of purpose in our lives. We can find what lights us up. Estee Levine did just that. She got curious about where her passions might fill some of the gaps in her community and she set out to do something with that information. She created CheapNFreeDC, an Instagram account that features destinations and activities that are (you guessed it!) cheap and free in and around Washington, DC. It's a celebration of people, creativity and community. Follow Estee Levine on Instagram @ CheapNFreeDC. Photo's featured artist is Reggie “Art” Gillumo, on Instagram @ artgillumo Theme music by Sean Balick. "UpUpUp and Over” by The Balloonist, via Blue Dot Sessions. Estee is shown in front of a mural by Reggie "Art" Gillumo: https://www.artgillumo.com

1 week ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #307A: Might Curiosity Hibernate?

I’m taking a little break in December. Call it some curiosity R&R — curiosity respite & re-airs. I’ll get a production break, and my radio audiences will continue to enjoy uninterrupted listening, thanks to Pacifica Radio Network, with four great C2BC Classic re-airs. We'll be back with a great lineup starting January 1st. Of course, I don’t want you to miss out, so here’s a peek at what my radio audiences will be getting in case you'd like to listen along. Maybe you’ve heard these episodes before, maybe not. They're a wonderful sample of curiosity in action. I hope you enjoy them. And for those of you nice enough to subscribe and actually read this post, some vaguely-related pictures to repay your loyalty. :) Thanks, as always to Sean Balick for our theme music. "The Little Powder" and "Night Light" by Nursery, via Blue Dot Sessions.

1 month ago

5 minutes 31 seconds

Choose to be Curious

C2BC-307 Bonus: Analogies (6 min)

I couldn't fit everything in this week, so here is what Jack Laws and I drew from the Big Jar of Wannabe Analogies. #analogy Episode webpage: https://lynnborton.com/2025/11/27/curiosity-nature-journaling-with-john-muir-laws/

1 month ago

6 minutes 11 seconds

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #307: Curiosity & Nature Journaling, with John Muir Laws

"Slow down to the speed of wonder." ~ John Muir Laws This is an episode about nature journaling, but Jack would be the first to say: it isn't about the journal, it's about the journey. He's developed interdisciplinary programs that combine art with science and train us to observe the world with rigor and joy -- strengthening our capacity to be intentionally curious. John Muir Laws: https://johnmuirlaws.com Theme music by Sean Balick; other music by Sketchbook, via Blue Dot Sessions. Visit the episode webpage here: https://lynnborton.com/2025/11/27/curiosity-nature-journaling-with-john-muir-laws/

1 month ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #306: Skip the Small Talk, with Ashley Kirsner

Enough with the polite, front parlor pablum of the past -- and onward toward rich discussion, mindful discourse, self-disclosure, and – dare I say it? – curiosity! Wanting to do something about the epidemic of loneliness among her peers, Ashley Kirsner set out to find a way to help people build their conversational and self-revelatory muscles. Enter Skip the Small Talk. Skip the Small Talk: https://www.skipthesmalltalk.com Theme music by Sean Balick; “Are We Loose Yet” by Bodytonic, via Blue Dot Sessions.

1 month ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #305: Curiosity & Creativitry: The Know-How, Practice & Mastery of Creativity, with Stan Lai

“Creativitry," writes legendary playwright Stan Lai in the preface to his new book of that name, "Doesn’t exist as a word. Just as all creative things do not exist -- until they do. "Rhymes with Artistry, and Chemistry, and Sorcery. "The know-how, practice and mastery of creativity." The overlap, undercurrents and interplay of creativity and curiosity come up a lot here, which only heightened my delight at being joined by creativity master Stan Lai, known as “the major contemporary Asian playwright of his time...perhaps of all time." More about Stan Lai: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Lai Theme music by Sean Balick; “A Certain Lightness” by Migration, via Blue Dot Sessions.

1 month ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #304: Curious in Mind & Body, with Qudsiya Naqui

How might understanding the experiences of disability help us be more curious about our own and others' minds and bodies? And, most importantly, how might any of that help us be kinder and more patient with ourselves and each other? I’m profoundly grateful to legal scholar and disability media-maker Qudsiya Naqui for proposing today’s topic. Qudsiya Naqui: https://law.udc.edu/qudsiya-naqui/ Theme music by Sean Balick. ”Mind Body Mind" by BodyTonic, via Blue Dot Sessions.

2 months ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #303: Curiosity & Finding Good, with Brian Fretwell

Brian Fretwell's work grows out of a rich mix of neuroscience, anthropology, leadership and what you might call self-interested curiosity. Rather than obsessing about where we fell short and consoling ourselves we will learn from our mistakes, he encourages us to learn from our successes instead. The secret, he says, is connection. Brian Fretwell & Finding Good: https://www.findinggood.com Theme music by Sean Balick. ”Sunday Lights" by Onesuch Village, via Blue Dot Sessions.

2 months ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #302: Curiosity at PechaKucha Night Knoxville, with Lila Honker & Matthew deBardelaben

What if there were a mechanism – a format – that kept novelty high, provided some assurance that the information being imparted was important (at least to someone), and that might tap into things we know perhaps a bit about? Wouldn’t that seem like a pretty great curiosity vehicle? I give you PechaKucha! PechaKucha Night Knoxville: https://www.pechakucha.com/communities/knoxville Theme music by Sean Balick. “Turning on the Lights” by Speakeasy, via Blue Dot Sessions.

2 months ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #301: Birdability & Making Curiosity Accessible, with Cat Fribley

I've been thinking about being more curious about what accessibility around curiosity really means and entails. I was delighted to sit down with accessibility advocate and Birdablity executive director, Cat Fribley to explore the curiosity lessons to be learned from the organization -- and from Birdability Week, a week full of events dedicated to making birding accessible and inclusive for everyone --- especially those with disabilities and other health concerns. Birdability: https://www.birdability.org Theme music by Sean Balick; “Wingspan” by Bayou Birds, via Blue Dot Sessions.

2 months ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #300: Curiosity & Listening with the Energy of Fourteen Hearts, with Haru Yamada

“Kiku” is a Japanese word for listen. It is comprised of smaller characters that together, as my guest Haru Yamada puts it, “generate the secret alchemy of listening: an ear 耳 on the left and fourteen 十四 hearts 心 on the right …conjuring a person listening with the energy of fourteen hearts.” Think for a moment what it means to listen with the energy of fourteen hearts… Haru Yamada is a self-described global nomad and sociolinguist who loves thinking and writing about how people talk and listen across cultures. Her book, 聴くKIKU The Japanese Art of Good Listening was released in the UK in March 2025, and in the US in October 2025. You can find her Sounds Good writing on Substack at @haruyamada. Theme music by Sean Balick. ”Wahre” by Cloud Harbor via Blue Dot Sessions.

3 months ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #299: A Creative Quester's Guide to Curiosity, with Sam Furness

Sam Furness says nothing gives him greater joy than being an architect of spaces and moments where people really feel they can express themselves creatively. In that spirit, he founded Creative Quests, a worldwide community and creative playground for people fueled by curiosity. Sam Furness/Creative Quests: https://www.creativequests.world Theme music by Sean Balick; “Valantis” by Cauldron, via Blue Dot Sessions.

3 months ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #298: Curiosity Builds Rapport, with Tyler Chisholm

We all have a curiosity origin story. What’s yours? CEO, author and marketing exec Tyler Chisholm’s happens to involve a pool cue. Enriched by his experience in strategic growth-oriented marketing and as host of not one but two podcasts, Tyler polishes that first little nugget into robust guidance for leaders everywhere in his new book Curious as Hell, We focused on the wonderfulness of rapport, self-curious leadership, mirroring and matching in podcasting as in life, the feeling of active listening and expansive questions, framing challenges as collaborative adventures, the power of story & metaphor — and why we should all be keeping curiosity journals on our bedside tables. Tyler Chisholm: https://tylerchisholm.com Theme music by Sean Balick; “The Summit” by K2, via Blue Dot Sessions.

3 months ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #297: Curiosity Lessons from Solutions Journalism, with Mónica Quesada Cordero

Mónica Quesada Cordero and her colleagues at el Colectivo 506 have learned a lot in their five years of bringing solutions journalism to Costa Rica. These are curiosity lessons for journalism, and for life itself. el Colectivo 506: https://elcolectivo506.com/?lang=en Theme music by Sean Balick; “A Burst of Light" by Delray, via Blue Dot Sessions.

3 months ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #296: Curiosity & Successful Aging, with Mary Whatley

"We think there's a little more of a selective process going on with curiosity." ~ Mary Whatley No surprise: curiosity changes over the lifespan. Yes surprise: not in the way you might imagine. There are some advantages to aging... Mary Whatley, PhD, studies motivated memory, aging and curiosity. She joins me to explore trait versus state curiosity; her recent research on increasing state curiosity as we age; the role of motivation and value of reflection; our own curiosity cost/benefit analyses; and why a good reviewer is a great thing. Mary Whatley: https://memorylabwcu.weebly.com Theme music by Sean Balick; “A Certain Lightness” by Migration, via Blue Dot Sessions.

3 months ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #295: Cultivating Curiosity: Move, Think, Rest, with Natalie Nixon

Creativity strategist Natalie Nixon has a fresh take on productivity and our ideas about time. She makes the case for leaning into joyful movement, deep thinking and the pause of a "strategic speed bump" to tap into -- and cultivate -- our creativity and curiosity. Natalie Nixon: https://www.figure8thinking.com Theme music by Sean Balick; “Mind Body Mind” by Bodytonic, via Blue Dot Sessions.

4 months ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #294: Curiosity & Dating, with Tim Molnar

Dating coach Tim Molnar blends social science and statistical scholarship with both personal experience and practical suggestions in hopes of transforming how people approach modern dating. How can curiosity help in our dating lives? Tim has thoughts! We explore research's origins in "me-search"; getting curious about what is -- or isn't -- actually working; second dates and old-school advantages of the exposure effect; running small experiments with our lives; rejection leading to success; curiosity practices to keep dating your partner; and why caring about green smoothies is so very, very attractive. Tim Molnar: https://timothymolnar.com Theme music by Sean Balick; ”Le Marais” by The Sweet Hots, via Blue Dot Sessions.

4 months ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #293: Curiosity Becomes the Engine for Learning, with Matthias Gruber

This was a wide-ranging and exciting conversation about neuroscientist Matthias Gruber's ongoing efforts to understand curiosity's role in learning and memory. There's a lot here. You may have to listen more than once -- I know I did! Matthias Gruber: https://profiles.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/gruberm Theme music by Sean Balick; “A Little Powder” by Nursery, via Blue Dot Sessions.

4 months ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #292: Seeing & Being Seen, with Humanitarian Photographer Lisa Kristine

Lisa Kristine is a humanitarian photographer and fine artist. She uses her photography to expose deeply human stories and make pictures that tap our curiosity about the people and lives she has documented. "Curiosity calls us to be present." ~ Lisa Kristine Lisa Kristine: https://lisakristine.com Theme music by Sean Balick; “Sand Reverie” by Desert Orchard, via Blue Dot Sessions.

4 months ago

28 minutes

Choose to be Curious

Ep. #291: Making Sense: Curiosity & Smell, with Venkatesh Murthy

Lean into the language of smell with me: we sniff things out, we follow a scent. We’re nosey! Is this not curiosity, enacted? Embodied!? So what do we know about our sense of smell, and might studying it offer insights into the way our brains explore, learn and remember? Venkatesh Murthy: https://vnmurthylab.org Theme music by Sean Balick; “A Palace of Cedars” by Pine Barrens, via Blue Dot Sessions.

5 months ago

28 minutes