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Being a long-time musician and songwriter, I listen to a lot of music. I’ll listen to almost anything. To give you an idea of my current playlist, here are a couple of selections:
1. Raya and Last Dragon Sound Track
2. Protest the Hero
3. Buddy Holly
4. Sugarland
5. Rush
6. Extreme
7. Ritchie Valens
8. 21 Pilots
Needless to say, I feel open-minded about listening to new music. One of my favorite quotes is from Frank Zappa, a musician. He once said, “A mind is like a parachute…it doesn’t work if it is not open”.
Whether you’ve heard this before, it got me thinking. What does open-minded mean? Better yet, how can it benefit you? Let’s start by trying to define open-mindedness.
Kendra Cherry at Very Well Mind explained that an open-minded person is someone who can:
· Think critically about a variety of perspectives, even those topics that they may disagree with.
· Generally, look at information with a decrease in judgmental thoughts and behaviors.
· Ask questions to seek more information.
Kendra Cherry went on to explain that open-minded people possess the following qualities:
1. Curiosity
2. Ability to listen to criticism and critics
3. Humility
4. Perspective-taking
5. Empathy
6. Active listening
Do you see yourself possessing these characteristics, or are there some that you struggle with? Don’t be too hard on yourself. All skills take practice, learning, and more practice. Look forward to future blogs on habits and practice here.
Now let’s address the benefits of practicing some open-mindedness. Rebecca, at Minimalism Made Simple, created a list of 20 advantages of being open-minded. Here are a few.
1. Be more compassionate for yourself and others
2. More confident
3. Learn from your mistakes instead of wallowing in them
4. Resolve conflicts faster
5. Be happier
6. Gain more friends
The first step towards mindfulness is to choose one thing you want to learn more about and look up information about it. Then, keep these things in mind as you do.
- Enjoy the approach and process of learning new information without judgment.
- Ask questions, let go of ego, and need for confirmation.
- Approach what you do not know with the hope and goal of self-growth in mind.
To start learning new things check out our courses, webinars, blogs, or podcasts. I hope these resources will encourage a desire to learn. After all, learning from each other is just another way to open our minds. Keep being you and caring for others.
Connect, Communicate, and Collaborate. Let's move some mountains! That is the 3C way!
With
compassion and kindness and the desire to share with others,
~ Scott Palasik
Reference:
Barlso,
J. (2018). EQ Applied: The Real-World Guide to Emotional
Intelligence. Germany: Borough Hall.
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