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Toolbox for Fostering a Curiosity Mindset

Launched Fall 2025, UT Office of Ombuds Services’ “Be Curious” campaign is aimed at all members of the UT community – all campuses and all stakeholders.

Our goal is to provide everyone with a toolbox of strategies and tools to help you approach situations of tension & uncertainty with a “curiosity” mindset.  Core to this project are quick, easy-to-use & carry cards with research-based reminders and simple constructive behaviors steps to help you stay curious even when emotions are strong.

Ombuds “Be Curious” Quick Reference Cards

Under development is our first set of pocket-sized “Be Curious” reminder cards, encompassing these constructive behaviors: Mindfulness, Dignity, Psychological Safety, and Growth Mindset.

Be Curious Set #1

Mindfulness is the process of paying full attention to the present moment—your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surroundings—without judgment or evaluation. It’s about observing what is happening right now with curiosity and acceptance, rather than instinctively reacting to strong emotions or perceived harm.

Our Mindfulness card lists strategies for handling difficult emotions in that moment when they are strongest and may overwhelm your thinking. Using a PAUSE mnemonic, we remind you to:

  • Pause to Breath
  • Avoid Judgement
  • Use Curiosity
  • Seek to Understand, and/or
  • Engage Empathy


According to Harvard researcher Donna Hicks, Dignity is the inherent worth you were born with. All of us are equal in worth as human beings. No one can take away our dignity, but words and behaviors of rejection can cause a sense of dignity violation (Hicks, 2018). Hicks proposes that you can honor dignity by working to provide these 10 components: Acceptance of Identity, Inclusion, Safety, Acknowledgment, Recognition, Fairness, Benefit of the Doubt, Understanding, Independence, and Accountability. Learn more about Dignity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSosTocATEA

 

Our Dignity card lists reminders for times when someone’s words or actions harm your dignity-violating your sense of value and worth. Note: These reminders can also help when it’s your own internal monologue attacking your dignity.

  • Dignity is inherent-it is not earned
  • I am equally worthy
  • No one can take my dignity away
  • Lashing back harms myself and others
  • Be curious, speak up, or choose to let it go.





The Be Curious Card Set #1 as a fold out set of 4 (coming Summer 2026)