The Curiosity Quest with Gena G

The Curiosity Quest Blog

  • Are You Living in Default Mode or Design Mode? | Mindset Shifts with Curious Gena

    Published by Gena G

    Have you ever looked up from your day and thought, “Wait… how did I even get here?”

    Wake up. Scroll. Work. Cook. Clean. Sleep. Repeat.
    It’s so easy to fall into patterns — not because we’re lazy or unmotivated, but because the brain loves routine. It’s efficient. It’s predictable. It’s… autopilot.

    But here’s the thing:

    There’s a big difference between living and simply existing.
    And that difference? It’s called intention.

    🔁 Default Mode vs. Design Mode

    Default Mode is when life is happening to you.
    You’re responding, reacting, and repeating. You follow the same routines, think the same thoughts, and live by beliefs you may not have questioned in years.

    Design Mode, on the other hand, is when life starts happening for you — because you’re creating it.
    You’re making intentional choices based on your values, goals, and growth.

    Are You in Default Mode?

    Here are a few signs:

    • You start and end your day feeling drained.
    • Your calendar is full, but your soul feels… empty.
    • You’re often on autopilot — going through the motions.
    • You keep saying “yes” to things you don’t actually want.
    • You haven’t checked in with your dreams in a while.

    Sound familiar? Don’t worry — we all dip into default mode sometimes.
    The power comes when you notice and shift.

    Step Into Design Mode: 3 Mini Shifts You Can Make Today

    1. Start Your Day With a “Design Prompt”

    Ask yourself: What kind of day do I want to create today?
    Set an intention — not a to-do list. This one is hard for me! I love my lists : )

    2. Audit One Routine

    Pick one part of your day — maybe your morning, your email habits, or how you unwind.
    Ask: Is this routine serving me or draining me?
    If it’s not aligned, redesign it.

    3. Question One Belief

    We all carry invisible scripts like:
    “I have to do it all or no one will.” “Success means constant hustle.” “I’m not creative.”
    Challenge one today. Flip it. Reframe it.

    What if the opposite were true?

    💡 Final Thought

    You don’t need to overhaul your entire life overnight.
    Design Mode isn’t about perfection — it’s about presence.
    It’s about getting curious 😉, pressing pause, and choosing you again and again.

    So I’ll ask you:

    Are you living by design… or default?

    💬 Your Turn

    Have you caught yourself living in default mode lately?
    Leave a comment or share this post with someone who needs a mindset reset today.

    Checkout my Podcast: The Curiosity Quest Podcast for more content and inspiration ; )

  • The Last Time…

    You never know when you will be doing something or seeing someone for the last time. Over the last two years I have reflected on this thought often as I have now lost 4 people that were close to me at the time I write this. My most recent loss was my Dad, who passed away just 9 days ago. He had been sick for a long time, and he is now at peace, but that doesn’t make the hurt go away.

    Losing a parent is something that really sticks with you. I have lost all my Grandparents and even my Mother and Father in Law. They all hurt and I still miss them all. Losing both my in Laws was terrible and the fact that they were so close together was a lot for the family to bear.

    Once my Dad told me that he was no longer doing treatment and that he was terminal I remember that I felt such sadness. I could hear the sadness and defeat in his voice. He had fought so hard and lost so much. My Dad was always a very busy guy that loved to be tinkering around outside and in his garage. He was always on the go, whether he was volunteering, fixing something, working on his train layout, you name it and he was doing it. I remember every time I would stop by he would be outside and would check my car for washer fluid and such. He always wanted to make sure I was safe and reminded me to buckle up.

    Once he started Chemo, he wasn’t outside as much as before. He took many naps and grew weaker and weaker. While he had had Chemo before when he was in his 40’s, this time was different. I felt there was something they were not telling me since prostate cancer is very slow growing and he had been dealing with it for some time. At one point he had beat it, so I thought. That was how he was though. He guarded what he shared with us as he didn’t want to burden us. I wish I had known sooner, but honestly what would that done? I like to think I could have changed or influenced him somehow and he would still be here. The truth is that he was in charge of his life, and I respect that. Selfishly I wish he was still here, but I would not want him in pain.

    This man taught me much about strength. A man that fought so hard to be around for his family. He took on whatever treatment the doctors wanted him to do and endured so much. He worked tirelessly to finish things around the house so my Mom was taken care of. He prepared paperwork and his final arrangements to make it easier for all of us. He endured terrible fatigue and pain by only taking Tylenol. Yes, he only took Tylenol for Bone Cancer that apparently is the most painful cancer. He literally didn’t take anything else until a week before he passed. Even then he was not sure about it, but he relented as he became paralyzed from the waist down and at that point there was no going back.

    I remember stopping in on the Monday of the week he passed, and he was severely ill as his system was shutting down and I just wanted to take his pain away then. I’m so glad that I was able to talk to him and let him know how much he meant to me. I knew he wouldn’t make it much longer, but I had no idea that would be one of the last conversations we would have.

    People often say that life is so precious and live each moment as your last, but we are not always thinking about our mortality. Honestly, I am not sure I would want to think about it all the time. However, losing people that are close to you changes you. Especially when it is a parent. Nothing prepares you for it. Being there by their side when they take their last breath is a blessing as painful as it is. My dad was there for my first breath, and I was thankful to be there for his last.

    Go Easy Dad.

    Love and Peace, Gena

  • Welcome to the Curiosity Quest!

    Thank you so much for stopping by! This blog is to be a way to share resources, connect and share experiences! I am also in the process of launching a new Podcast! The podcast is called The Curiosity Quest Podcast and I am so excited to be sharing it with the world soon. It is a labor of love and something that I have wanted to do for such a long time. I am an avid podcast listener and have wanted to have my own for so long. I have wondered who the heck would listen to it though and that is why I have waited so long. There really is no time but the present! So I decided to take my own advice of “Don’t think just do!” (which really is from Top Gun which is such a great movie) If you have not seen it you should definitely check it out the original and the sequel Maverick are sooo good. All about stretching the boundaries of what is possible. Our minds tend to hold us back, but they also carry so much power if we just push past what is comfortable! If we can reduce overthinking, we will find our mindset will change. It is actually easier then we think, (haha) but it does take practice and awareness. I hope you will join me on this fun little experiment and you may be amazed about what is possible! More to come on my new podcast as well : )

    So stay curious my friends!

    love and peace, Gena G