Every one claims to be open minded these days. So do you and me! But what sort of parameters do you judge to come to that conclusion that you are open minded? We like to think that we are more open than people around us as we are more accepting and ready to head on with newer experiences. However, don’t you think all of us are guilty of staying in our comfort zones for most part of the time? It is imperative that we are open minded if we are to grow and get better each day. This means you need to explore opportunities beyond staying in the midst of those friends who we like are also sticking to the same old habits. Here are a few signs that you can try and identify so that you can make a few necessary changes and be more open minded.
You are not inquisitive:
It is a great thing if you try and move out of your comfort zone to be in the company of new people. However, it is no good if you stand like a mute spectator among these people. What is important is to have meaningful conversations so that you know about them. You have to be willing to know something new. People who are open minded tend to have a list of questions they want know the answers to, be it a situation or interacting with new people. They want to read more, indulge in new hobbies, travel more and also are always ready to take risks. This sort of curiosity is a great way to expand your horizon. You never know when you might need help. So, it is always better if you can interact and make use of all that you learn at the right time.
You don’t go with the flow
Are you very closed in terms of letting new people enter your group? Does the ides of shifting to a new place sound scary to you? Does the idea of acquiring a new habit make you nervous? If this is so, then you are not open minded as you think yourself to be. Those who are truly open minded don’t resist these changes for they understand that embracing them may help them understand newer ideas. Those who are closed minded, they tend to be happy with what is existing and fear a risk taking attitude. Even if these seem intimidating at the onset, you never know how little changes might present you with better opportunities.
You are friends with those of the same feather
“Birds of a feather flock together”. This might have a common saying that you have heard numerous times. It is very common for us to be in the company of those we share a better frequency with. This means we like to be around people who think and act like us, those who don’t disagree with us. Disagreement offends us for we like to seek happiness in the fact that our opinions are valued. However, if you try and have a diversified group of friends, you will only gain more. It is important that we are exposed to a wide variety of opinions and not just restrict ourselves to what we perceive as right.
You are a religious fanatic
Some people tend to hold very staunch beliefs when it comes to religion. They reject other faiths. For a long time religion has been the main cause of divisive tendencies among civilizations. Do you find yourself being very critical of people when they disclose their religion to you? Do you hold a superiority complex when it comes to defending your religion? We tend to homogenise people based on their religion disregarding that fact that there are other identities that they part of as well. Water tight compartmentalization of people based on their religion is a very hypocritical thing to do. Every religion has its own merits. As an educated individual what is expected of you is that you accept the best that each religion preaches.
You judge others’ lifestyles
Do you have a problem with the sexuality of a person? Are you disregarding of people who have a happening sex life? Do you have a problem with your friend decides to live in with her partner? Do you shun those who spend a long time with male friends which you don’t approve of? These and many other questions prove that you have a problem with the way people wish to lead their lives. Being open minded doesn’t mean that you have to approve of others for everything. It simply means that you are open to weighing all the other options before you finally decide to settle on one without making instant judgements.
