...just understand where the others are coming from.
It's a hard concept for people. Most think that being open minded means you have to accept all viewpoints, values, and beliefs. That you think that they are acceptable and just as correct as yours.
According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, open minded means:
"receptive to arguments or ideas"
There is nothing in that definition that says that those ideas are correct in your eyes, that you have to agree with them, that you are flip flopping all over the place because you're so "open-minded". It just means being receptive.
According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, receptive means:
"able or inclined to receive; especially : open and responsive to ideas, impressions, or suggestion"
The other definition is "female willing to copulate with a male"... and that's not what I'm talking about here.
Able or inclined to receive. Ideas, impressions, or suggestion. Open and responsive. Still nothing in that about changing your current beliefs. Just being willing to receive others, and process them.
So many people think of being open minded as a bad thing. That if you are open minded you are never going to have your own beliefs. I disagree. Being open minded should be something EVERYBODY partakes in. And yet, I also think people should be firm in their beliefs. But those beliefs shouldn't be based on just one or five people's opinions, or the opinion you were raised to believe. It should be based on being open minded, and willing to at least look and hear other sides before either changing said opinion, or becoming firmer in the beliefs that you hold.
Being open minded doesn't weaken your resolve and your value system, it strengthens it. Seeing things from the other side doesn't necessarily mean you are admitting you are wrong. It could... after receiving the other side's viewpoint and objectively looking at both... or it could simply make it more clear in your mind how right you are.
Narrow minded and close minded people are living sad lives. They are gripping onto their belief systems so hard that anything can knock them down if people try hard enough. They are so tense that someone will prove them wrong if they open up their minds even a little bit that doubts start to come in. And so they refuse to listen to anybody, not because they truly believe that they are right, but because they are afraid of being wrong.
Nobody should be afraid of being wrong. Being wrong is a blessing. It allows you to see what is right.
So... encourage open mindedness. And encourage it so people can become stronger in their beliefs. When training a horse or a dog, encourage people to not just go with what they know, but look at many options, viewpoints, and ideas. And you may come right back to what you know, firmer in the knowledge that it's the best choice for you and the animal. But you'd never know that if you never looked.
When dealing with nutrition and the best way to feed your pet... or your child... or yourself... don't just go with what momma taught you, or what the pediatrician/doctor/veterinarian you use says. Do your OWN research. Don't try to silence people who are trying to help. And listen to everyone. And then make your own decision based on being open minded to what everyone has to say, and choosing the best option for you.
Those who are giving advice may vehemently disagree with your final decision. Well... who cares? As long as you were receptive to their advice instead of just dismissing it, you are doing nothing wrong. You made your choice. Your belief, your decision, whatever.
But still... always be open minded, always be receptive, to everything and everyone. Because you never know when some better idea, or more information, or something will come along that will blow your mind.
And people are also more willing to listen to people who listen to them first. ;)
It's a hard concept for people. Most think that being open minded means you have to accept all viewpoints, values, and beliefs. That you think that they are acceptable and just as correct as yours.
According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, open minded means:
"receptive to arguments or ideas"
There is nothing in that definition that says that those ideas are correct in your eyes, that you have to agree with them, that you are flip flopping all over the place because you're so "open-minded". It just means being receptive.
According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, receptive means:
"able or inclined to receive; especially : open and responsive to ideas, impressions, or suggestion"
The other definition is "female willing to copulate with a male"... and that's not what I'm talking about here.
Able or inclined to receive. Ideas, impressions, or suggestion. Open and responsive. Still nothing in that about changing your current beliefs. Just being willing to receive others, and process them.
So many people think of being open minded as a bad thing. That if you are open minded you are never going to have your own beliefs. I disagree. Being open minded should be something EVERYBODY partakes in. And yet, I also think people should be firm in their beliefs. But those beliefs shouldn't be based on just one or five people's opinions, or the opinion you were raised to believe. It should be based on being open minded, and willing to at least look and hear other sides before either changing said opinion, or becoming firmer in the beliefs that you hold.
Being open minded doesn't weaken your resolve and your value system, it strengthens it. Seeing things from the other side doesn't necessarily mean you are admitting you are wrong. It could... after receiving the other side's viewpoint and objectively looking at both... or it could simply make it more clear in your mind how right you are.
Narrow minded and close minded people are living sad lives. They are gripping onto their belief systems so hard that anything can knock them down if people try hard enough. They are so tense that someone will prove them wrong if they open up their minds even a little bit that doubts start to come in. And so they refuse to listen to anybody, not because they truly believe that they are right, but because they are afraid of being wrong.
Nobody should be afraid of being wrong. Being wrong is a blessing. It allows you to see what is right.
So... encourage open mindedness. And encourage it so people can become stronger in their beliefs. When training a horse or a dog, encourage people to not just go with what they know, but look at many options, viewpoints, and ideas. And you may come right back to what you know, firmer in the knowledge that it's the best choice for you and the animal. But you'd never know that if you never looked.
When dealing with nutrition and the best way to feed your pet... or your child... or yourself... don't just go with what momma taught you, or what the pediatrician/doctor/veterinarian you use says. Do your OWN research. Don't try to silence people who are trying to help. And listen to everyone. And then make your own decision based on being open minded to what everyone has to say, and choosing the best option for you.
Those who are giving advice may vehemently disagree with your final decision. Well... who cares? As long as you were receptive to their advice instead of just dismissing it, you are doing nothing wrong. You made your choice. Your belief, your decision, whatever.
But still... always be open minded, always be receptive, to everything and everyone. Because you never know when some better idea, or more information, or something will come along that will blow your mind.
And people are also more willing to listen to people who listen to them first. ;)
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