2. Being open-minded can be really
tough sometimes. Most of us are
brought up with a set of beliefs and
values and, throughout our lives, tend
to surround ourselves with people who
share the same values and beliefs.
3. Therefore, it can be difficult
when we're faced with ideas that
challenge our own and, though we
may wish to be open-minded, we
may struggle with the act of it from
time to time.
4. The 7 Benefits of Being Open-Minded
1. Letting go of control
When you open your mind, you free
yourself from having to be in complete
control of your thoughts. You allow
yourself to experience new ideas and
thoughts and you challenge the beliefs you
currently have. It can be very liberating to
look at the world through an open mind.
5. 2. Experiencing changes
Opening up your mind to new ideas
allows you to the opportunity to change what
you think and how you view the world. Now,
this doesn't mean you necessarily will change
your beliefs, but you have the option to when
you think with an open mind.
6. 3. Making yourself vulnerable
One of the scariest (and greatest) things
about seeing the world through an open mind is
making yourself vulnerable. In agreeing to have an
open-minded view of the world, you're admitting
you don't know everything and that there are
possibilities you may not have considered. This
vulnerability can be both terrifying
and exhilarating.
7. 4. Making mistakes
Making mistakes doesn't seem like it would
be much of a benefit, but it truly is. When you open
your mind and allow yourself to see things from
others' perspectives, you allow yourself not only to
recognize potential mistakes you've made, but also
to make new mistakes. Doesn't sound like much
fun, but it's a great thing to fall and get back up
again.
8. 5. Strengthening yourself
Open-mindedness provides a platform on which
you can build, piling one idea on top of another. With
an open mind you can learn about new things and
you can use the new ideas to build on the old ideas.
Everything you experience can add up, strengthening
who you are and what you believe in. It's very hard to
build on experiences without an open mind.
9. 6. Gaining confidence
When you live with an open mind, you have a
strong sense of self. You are not confined by your
own beliefs, nor are you confined by the beliefs of
others. For that reason, you are able to have and
gain confidence as you learn more and more about
the world around you. Open-mindedness helps you
to learn and grow, strengthening your belief in
yourself.
10. 7. Being honest
There is an honesty that comes with an open
mind because being open-minded means admitting
that you aren't all-knowing. It means believing that
whatever truth you find might always have more to
it than you realize. This understanding creates an
underlying sense of honesty that permeates the
character of anyone who lives with an open mind.
11. For some, being open-minded is easy; it
comes as effortlessly as breathing. For others,
having an open mind can be more of a challenge,
something that they have to work on and make an
effort to obtain. Whether or not you consider
yourself to be open-minded, you can certainly see
from the list above that there are great benefits to
viewing life with an open mind.
12. It's not always an easy thing to do
(believe me, most people struggle with
this), but the effort to think openly and
embrace new ideas will be worth it when
you're able to take part in the benefits that
come from opening your mind.
