What I’m Doing to Be More Open-Minded
Do you have an open mind? Even if you said yes, there’s a good chance you’re not as open-minded as you think you are.
Open-mindedness refers to understanding and being empathetic towards different information, ideas and perspectives.
I’ll be honest. Without meaning any disrespect, I grew up around many closed-minded individuals.
I always thought of myself as an open-minded individual. However, I realised that I was only open-minded in comparison to those around me.
I was often judgemental and refused to acknowledge the opinions of others. As I’m not perfect, I demonstrate such narrow-minded characteristics occasionally. However, the frequency has reduced after taking appropriate action, and the journey is ongoing.
Why Aim to Be Open-Minded
A benefit of having an open mind is the ability to understand and consider new ideas and perspectives. All it takes is a simple idea that could completely change your life for the better.
When approaching life with an open mind, you’re more open to criticism and willing to admit mistakes. This is essential to learn, grow and improve. Without the willingness to admit faults, you will struggle to make positive and necessary changes.
You’ll be more understanding when it comes to the faults of other people. Being able to stay calm and rational separates you from everybody else.
In their video, 15 Traits That Make Open Minded People Different, Brainy Dose discusses how open-minded people are good conversationalists. People enjoy conversing with somebody who has an open mind because they demonstrate curiosity and interest. More importantly, they listen.
If you aspire to be a good conversationalist, be an attentive listener.
Dale Carnegie
#1. Stop Judging
Being judgemental is one of the most narrow-minded things you can do, and I’m guilty of it! Who am I to judge anyone? Who are you? Wait… am I judging you for judging others?
I’ve experienced being negatively judged based on the colour of my skin, my interests, the people I talk to and much more. I knew how it felt, yet I continued to judge others for a long time. I used to judge people based on
- the clothes they wear
- their ambition, which is hilarious considering I am yet to achieve anything significant
- their appearance
A mixture of personal reflection and listening to Islamic talks led me to realise how wrong it is to judge. Since then, I’ve made a conscious effort to stop.
When you stop yourself from judging others, you begin to realise that everybody has their unique goals and lifestyle. You can’t fully understand another person. What they think or do has nothing to do with you and vice versa. They’re an individual with their own free will, as you are with yours.
It works both ways, however. As much as trying to stop judging will help you be open-minded, an open mind will help you become less judgemental.
“Shouldn’t everyone be proud of who they are? We should be but we aren’t, because what we are is judged.” — Brendan Buchholz
#2. Ask Questions
I can’t stress the importance of asking questions. Upon exposure to new ideas and information, you’ll form an initial opinion or decision. To develop a more concrete opinion, consider researching and asking appropriate questions. The same applies to existing beliefs and thought patterns, especially since we like to believe we’re always right.
Question the source:
- Who are they?
- What is their reasoning?
- Do they have an ulterior motive?
Question yourself:
- Do you trust the source?
- Do you currently know enough to reach a conclusion?
- Are you being biased?
Ask others what their thoughts and opinions are. Maybe they will agree with you or show you another perspective. Don’t be so stubborn and narrow-minded. Encourage a variety of opinions and broaden your mind.
If you’re anything like me, you probably can’t be bothered to ask too many questions. That’s fine, as long as you ask enough to build a solid foundation of knowledge.
Most of the time, I also use Google. You can access Google on your phone in a matter of seconds and proceed to research almost anything. It’s not only convenient but also informative.
#3. Remember We’re All Different
Our environment, genes, current life situations, experiences and a variety of other factors allow us to view life in our own unique way. For example, if I see an image of New York, it motivates me to travel. For a New York resident, they’ll appreciate the image and never think about it again. Another person may feel anxious by looking at the traffic in New York.
Everything different about you makes you, you. The same goes for the other 7.9 billion people in the world. It’s important to remember this when hearing the ideologies and beliefs of other people. There is a reason behind why they are the way they are.
I understand being critical of something or someone you don’t believe in, but you also have to remember that we’re all different. We grew up in different households with different families, who had different beliefs from different experiences.
Imagine you were born in another country and surrounded by different people. Do you not think these factors alone would cause your mindset, perspective and life to be completely different?
When people within your circle, family, business or workplace have different ideas or beliefs, just remember that we’re all different and we all have our reasons.
Remembering this very fact helps me stay calm, rational and open-minded in most situations.
Disclaimer: By no means am I telling you to sympathise with those who mean harm.Summary
- You may not be as open-minded as you think you are.
- Open-mindedness refers to understanding and being empathetic towards different information, ideas and perspectives.
- Having an open mind allows you to be open to more ideas, face criticism, be understanding and improve your ability to communicate.
- Stop judging other people. You do not understand them.
- Ask questions and gain as much information as you can. A solid foundation of knowledge can help you form stronger conclusions.
- Keep in mind that we’re all different. We all have a reason behind why we are the way we are.
