Our perception of the world affects others just as much as it does ourselves. So, when we live life with a closed, or narrow mind, we’re not only stunting our own growth, but the growth of our relationships with other people, and this can have many negative effects.
Keeping an open mind allows for healthy growth—inward and outward. Whether we’re raising children, leading a sales team, or having a conversation with a family member, open-mindedness is the key to stepping out of our own way, and taking back our power in a relational, and emotional way.
Open-mindedness doesn’t always come naturally, but we can achieve it with practice. It is a skill that we constantly need to fine-tune in order to give others the benefit of the doubt, and it’s okay to admit when we need to work on these skills.
- The first step to open-mindedness is seeing through the other person’s eyes. Sometimes, we get so caught up in our own messiness that we forget about what others may be going through. Really caring about their perspective is something that will always give us the power to connect in relationships.
- When opinions differ, it is important not to react in anger. Not everyone thinks the same way, and that is a beautiful thing. When we realize that other people’s opinions are imminent, and even helpful, we begin to take back some of our power, and redirect our energy towards positivity and problem solving. Nothing good comes from anger in differing opinions.
- And finally, stepping out of our comfort zone allows for us to make room for more. Being comfortable does not allow us to grow, and it is called “open-mindedness” for a reason: there’s more space for other opinions, which allows for us to reevaluate our own and grow.
Being more aware and in tune to the outside world can help us to be more productive, creative, sensitive and alert to new and interesting opportunities that we otherwise would have overlooked. The world is a beautiful place when we let new things in.