Why Is It Important To Have An Open Mind? The 5 Advantages Of This Virtue
What does it mean to be more open-minded? Why is it better to have an open mind than to be more closed? Discover the characteristics of this skill and how to cultivate it.
We tend to think that being open mind It implies being more tolerant of others or having less prejudices. From psychology, this term describes those people who are willing to consider other perspectives or try new experiences. But why can it be beneficial for us to adopt this attitude?
Be open minded It implies having a positive quality. In fact, people with this type of mindset tend to think more critically, empathically, and rationally. That is, they do not let themselves be guided by their feelings or prejudices. Therefore, people with this personality trait can speak without getting offended or angry with others who do not have the same beliefs or ideas about life. In this way, they try to learn from each other’s interactions and not simply be right or prove it.
Have an open mind It is not easy, since it means facing our cognitive dissonances and even rethinking our beliefs. This means that people with this quality are capable of changing and revising their perspective on reality. Therefore, it is a very positive skill to cultivate our learning and personal growth.
Open Mind and Closed Mind: What’s the Difference?
The opposite of having a open mind It is being closed in your beliefs and thoughts. This means being a person who finds it difficult to be receptive to other ideas. That is, they are only willing to take into account points of view that are assimilated to their beliefs. Taking this into account, we can differentiate the following aspects of these two ways of being:
Have firm beliefs, but be open to discussing and reconsidering them
Be empathetic towards the thoughts, beliefs and feelings of others
Closed mind
Not being receptive to other ideas, only yours
Having rigid thinking, that is, not considering other perspectives
Lack of empathy and insensitivity towards the feelings of others
We must take into account that be open minded is a trait, which implies that you can have this mentality in certain aspects and be more closed in others.
What is an open-minded person like?
Some of the characteristics that could define a person with an open mind are the following:
Empathy towards different opinions: People with an open mind tend to be interested in hearing opinions, beliefs or thoughts different from their own.
Be able to challenge your own beliefs: This implies being open to discussing your points of view and, above all, to having good arguments to defend your position, as well as having the flexibility to change these thoughts.
Don’t get frustrated when they argue: Instead of adopting a conflicted attitude toward debates, open-minded people tend to see it as an opportunity to defend their points of view or learn new perspectives.
Humility before one’s own knowledge and experience: People with a more open mind tend to express their thoughts or knowledge in a humble way, without believing that their words have more validity or importance than those of their interlocutors.
Practice active listening: Active listening involves learning to listen to others without judging them, simply accepting their words and arguing our position.
Understand the points of view or beliefs of others: Having an open mind also implies the ability to understand and understand the position of others.
These are some of the main characteristics of the people with an open mind
What are benefits of being open-minded?
People who have a more open mind They can enjoy the following benefits:
Have more knowledge: Challenging our beliefs and considering new ideas can give us new perspectives on the world and also understand ourselves better.
Get out of our comfort zone: By getting out of our comfort zone we tend to experience more and, above all, feel happier because we learn more about ourselves and reality.
Personal growth: Keeping an open mind will help you grow as a person. That is, to better understand your situation, your emotions, thoughts and feelings.
Be more optimistic: One of the main problems with keeping a closed mind is that you tend to become more confrontational with others and this can generate more negativity. Therefore, being open to other ideas can allow you to be more optimistic in your daily life.
Meet people different from you: If you remain closed-minded, you will end up gravitating towards a group of friends or people who will never change. On the other hand, by being more open we can meet different people who can offer us new experiences and knowledge.
Be more open It will provide you with many benefits both personally and professionally. Therefore, it can be a good way to change your life and improve your psychological well-being.
How to have a more open mind?
Some of the keys to cultivating a more open minded are the following:
Go beyond your comfort zone: This involves trying to cope with comfort or our routines. Although it is good to have a comfort zone, it is also important to have a balance with new experiences and challenges. The best way to get out is to do it gradually, that is, little by little.
Participate in discussions: Talking to others about ideas that are not in your ideals or beliefs can be a good way to practice not only more critical thinking but a more open mindset. It is important that in these debates you try to have empathy and say your arguments assertively.
Check your beliefs: Questioning your own beliefs or thoughts or way of life is also a way to have a more positive mindset. Asking yourself reflective questions about it and answering them can help you be more open.
Get to know you: Self-knowledge is crucial to achieving a more open mindset. The reason is precisely that people can better confront their erroneous beliefs if they know themselves better.
The best way to Open the mind It is precisely by working within ourselves and promoting more critical thinking towards ourselves and the world around us. For this reason, it may be a good idea to go to therapy since a psychology professional will guide us towards this goal.
