How To Be More Open Minded

How To Be More Open Minded
(And Why You Should Be)

In everyday use, the term "open-minded" is often used as a synonym for being non-prejudiced or tolerant. From a psychological perspective, the term is used to describe how willing people are to consider other perspectives or to try out new experiences.

Open-mindedness involves being receptive to a wide variety of ideas, arguments, and information. Being open-minded is generally considered a positive quality. It is necessary in order to think critically and rationally. Open-mindedness can also involve asking questions and actively searching for information that challenges your beliefs. It also encompasses the belief that other people should be free to express their beliefs and arguments, even if you do not necessarily agree with those views.

This doesn’t mean that being open-minded is easy. Being open to new ideas and experiences can sometimes lead to confusion and cognitive dissonance when we learn new things that conflict with existing beliefs. Being able to change and revise outdated or incorrect beliefs is an important part of learning and personal growth.

This becomes even more important now that so many people are awakening to the fact that everything we've been taught our entire lives was nothing but deceptions and lies and that we based our belief systems on these deceptions and lies.

I remember years ago when I first became aware of this fact. It was like being hit upside the head with a ton of bricks. The ego rebels: "You couldn't have been this gullible to fall for these lies and deceptions!" But I was that gullible, as we all were. I wanted the TRUTH, even if it meant rocking my comfort boat and having to change my belief system. I'm thankful every day to my ET mentors who set me straight and allowed me to change my belief system.

Yes, doing that was uncomfortable at times. But I'd rather endure a little discomfort than continue to live a life based on lies and deceptions.

The opposite of being open-minded is being closed-minded or dogmatic. People who are more closed-minded are usually not receptive to other ideas. They are only willing to consider their own viewpoints. Our adversaries Divide & Conquer game promotes this closed mindedness.
We see it on social medial all of the time - people blocking and unfriending others simply because they don't share our same viewpoints and opinions. This is only PLAYING our adversaries' Divide & Conquer game! Not only that, it stops our spiritual growth dead in its tracks. At that point, we cease to stop growing and evolving as the Divine beings we're supposed to be.

Even if you consider yourself a fairly open-minded person, there are probably certain topics on which you take a much harder stance: experiences that you are passionate about or social issues, for example.

Having convictions can be great, but strong belief does not negate an open mind. Being open-minded means having the ability to consider other perspectives and trying to be empathetic to other people, even when you disagree with them.

Of course, open-mindedness has its limits. It does not imply that you must sympathize with every ideology. But making an effort to understand the factors that might have led to those ideas can be helpful in finding ways to persuade people to change their minds.

13 Red Flags that show a lack of open mindedness

RECONSIDER THEIR VIEWS

"I'm not interested in discussing this; it's a waste of time." Close-minded people dismiss discussions that challenge their beliefs or require them to reconsider their views.

I ALREADY KNOW

"I don't need to hear any more; I already know everything about this." This statement reflects a refusal to consider new information or perspectives, indicating a closed-off mindset.

ALWAYS BEEN DONE

"That's just the way it's always been done." This suggests a resistance to change or innovation, relying solely on tradition without openness to alternatives.

MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY

"It's my way or the highway." This statement shows an unwillingness to compromise or collaborate, preferring their own ideas over others'.

RIGID STANCE

"I would never change my mind about this." Indicates a rigid stance that excludes the possibility of learning or evolving based on new information or perspectives.

COULD BE CORRECT
"You're wrong, and that's final." Refusal to entertain the idea that someone else could be correct, closing off dialogue and debate.

THINK DIFFERENTLY

"People who think differently are just ignorant/stupid." Using derogatory terms to discredit others' viewpoints instead of engaging in constructive dialogue.

TRUST ANYONE

"I don't trust anyone who disagrees with me." Close-minded individuals often dismiss others' opinions as unreliable or invalid solely because they differ from their own.

DISMISSING UNFAMILIAR IDEAS

"I've never heard of that before; it must not be important." Dismissing unfamiliar ideas or topics as irrelevant without seeking to understand them.

I REFUSE

"I refuse to read/listen to/watch anything that challenges my beliefs." Avoiding exposure to differing viewpoints or information that could potentially broaden their perspective.

NO POINT IN TRYING

"There's no point in trying; it won't make a difference." Pessimistic attitude towards change or progress, leading to a reluctance to explore new ideas or solutions.

AVOIDANCE OF DISCUSSIONS

"I don't want to talk about politics/religion/controversial topic." Avoidance of discussions that may challenge their beliefs or lead to uncomfortable conversations.

USING AGE AS AN EXCUSE

"I'm too old/young to understand that." Using age as an excuse to avoid learning or adapting to new information or technologies.

MY MIND IS MADE UP

"My mind is made up, don't confuse me with the facts." Dismissing factual information that contradicts their beliefs, emphasizing emotional attachment over rational consideration.
[This is a big one with so many people now confusing opinion with fact!]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I used to be guilty of many of the above! Well, at least until the Angelics got their mitts on me, slapped me a good one upside the head while addressing me as "Ms Know It All" and showed me how things really worked. LOL
I'm sure I still slip up at times but hey, at least I try not to and realize I'm not even remotely close to knowing all there is to know.

Take for example, the reincarnation trap. I've had 5 full fledged NDE's so have a bit of an idea how things work on that front. After Jmmanuel told me "NO ONE controls your incarnations but YOU!" and being the skeptic I am, I decided I had to know for myself. So on my last NDE I deliberately walked into that reincarnation trap that so many believe in. Yes, it exists, I'm not denying that...but when I got to the end of the dark tunnel and went into the light, I was still given the CHOICE as to whether to accept that reincarnation trap, as I had been given in my previous NDE's! I personally discovered Jmmanuel was right - it only works if you submit to it.
And that's what my current belief system is - it only works if you submit to it.

But others who do believe they have no control over this reincarnation trap may not have had 5 NDE'S as I did. Maybe they've never once experienced an NDE so believe that reincarnation trap has some kind of power over them and their incarnations and that it's unavoidable.
Before, I'd say "Well this is how it is!" Now I say "Well, this was my personal experience on that front..." and let them make up their own minds. They have the free will choice as to whether or not to disempower themselves in accepting they have no control over the incarnation trap and it's neither my right nor business to interfere in their belief system.

In fact, I recently did a podcast with Rob Kalil, Nate Cieszek and my old friend, James Bartley and the subject of this reincarnation trap came up. I kept my mouth shut at until Rob asked me my opinion on it. I explained "Well, this was my personal experience with 5 NDE's and deliberately walking into that reincarnation trap..."

The reaction I got from those 3 gentlemen when I said it didn't work on me and I'd still been given the choice whether to return to earth or not?

You could've heard a pin drop and the subject was immediately changed. This from the 3 guys I previously considered to be more open minded than most people! Had the discussion continued on the experience I'd just described, people who fear this reincarnation trap might have been put at ease about the whole thing and they may have realized "Hey, I'm not as disempowered as I believed I was!" It was a golden teaching and fear quenching opportunity completely wasted due to closed mindedness. "That's not what we believe so we won't discuss that."

So how do we change ourselves to be open minded? Not only be open minded but stop punishing and shunning others simply because their beliefs and opinions differ from our own?

In general, open-minded people tend to:

Be curious to hear what others think
Be able to have their ideas challenged
Not feel angry when they are wrong
Have empathy for other people
Consider what other people are thinking
Be humble about their own knowledge and expertise
Want to hear what other people have to say
Believe others have a right to share their beliefs and thoughts

I found when I really started to LISTEN to the viewpoints of others, I ended up changing my perspective to their way of thinking. Maybe I was the one who had it wrong the entire time.

Admitting to yourself that you don't know everything you think you know is the first step.

Admitting you were wrong about something is the second critical step. Difficult to do given we live on an ego-driven planet but once your ego is balanced with the rest of you, it's not difficult at all to graciously admit you were wrong about something.

RECOGNIZE THE 3 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE OPEN MINDEDNESS

Personality

In the five-factor model of human personality, openness to experience is one of the five broad dimensions that make up human personality. This personality trait shares many of the same qualities with open-mindedness, such as being willing to consider new experiences and ideas and engaging in self-examination.

Expertise

Research suggests that people expect experts to be more dogmatic about their area of expertise. When people feel that they are more knowledgeable or skilled in an area than other people, they are less likely to be open-minded.

Researchers have found that giving participants false positive or false negative feedback about their performance on a task influenced how closed-minded they were about considering an alternative political opinion.

Comfort With Ambiguity

People have varying levels of comfort when dealing with uncertainty. Too much ambiguity leaves people feeling uncomfortable and even distressed.

Dogmatism is sometimes an attempt to keep things simpler and easier to understand. By rejecting alternative ideas that might challenge the status quo, people are able to minimize uncertainty and risk—or at least their perception of risk.

Older research does support this idea, suggesting that people who are closed-minded are less able to tolerate cognitive inconsistencies. More recent research challenges these ideas, however, and suggests that the need for structure doesn't necessarily mean that people are close-minded.

Benefits of being open minded

Being more open-minded means enjoying some useful and powerful benefits. Open-mindedness helps you:

Gain insight. Challenging your existing beliefs and considering new ideas can give you fresh insights into the world and also teach you new things about yourself.
Have new experiences. Being open to other ideas can also open you up to trying new things.
Achieve personal growth. Keeping an open mind can help you grow as a person. You learn new things about the world and the people around you.
Become mentally strong. Staying open to new ideas and experiences can help you become a stronger, more vibrant person. Your experiences and knowledge continue to build on one another.
Feel more optimistic. One of the problems with staying closed-minded is that it often leads to a greater sense of negativity. Being open can help inspire a more optimistic attitude toward life and the future.
Learn new things. It’s hard to keep learning when you surround yourself with the same old ideas. Pushing your boundaries and reaching out to people with different perspectives and experiences can help keep your mind fresh.

If you are not open to other ideas and perspectives, it is difficult to see all of the factors that contribute to problems or come up with effective solutions. In an increasingly polarized world, being able to step outside your comfort zone and consider other perspectives and ideas is important.

How to cultivate open mindedness

ASSIMILATION AND ACCOMODATION

Learning how to be more open-minded is possible, but it can be a bit of a challenge. In many ways, our minds are designed to view concepts as wholes.

We develop an idea or a category of knowledge, referred to as a schema. As we come across new information, we tend to want to sort it into one of our existing schemas in a mental process known as assimilation.

Sometimes, however, the new things we learned don’t quite fit in with what we already know. In this instance, we have to adjust our understanding of the world in a process known as accommodation. Essentially, we have to change how we think in order to deal with this new information.

Assimilation tends to be a fairly easy process; after all, you’re just filing new information into your existing filing system. Accommodation is more difficult. You’re not just putting something into an existing file; you’re creating a whole new filing system.

Sometimes new information requires rethinking the things you thought you knew. It requires reevaluating your memories and past experiences in light of what you’ve learned.

In order to do this, you have to be able to set aside your judgments, take a serious look at the existing evidence, and admit that you were wrong. That process can be difficult, confusing, and sometimes painful or life-changing. It takes a lot of mental effort, but you can train your brain to be more open-minded.

FIGHT CONFIRMATION BIAS

A cognitive tendency known as the confirmation bias can be one of the biggest contributors to closed-mindedness. Overcoming this tendency can be a bit tricky. The confirmation bias involves paying more attention to information that confirm our existing beliefs, while at the same time discounting evidence that challenges what we think.

Being aware of the confirmation bias is perhaps one of the best ways to combat it. As you encounter information, take a moment to consider how this bias might affect how you evaluate it.

If it seems like you are readily accepting something because it supports your existing views, take a moment to consider some arguments that might challenge your ideas. Learning how to evaluate sources of information and be an informed consumer of scientific stories in the news can also be helpful.

ASK QUESTIONS

Most people like to believe in their own sense of intellectual virtue. And in many ways, it is important to be able to have trust and faith in your own choices. But it is good to remember that what might seem like being resolute and committed to certain ideals may actually be a form of closed-minded stubbornness.

Part of being open-minded involves being able to question not just others, but also yourself. As you encounter new information, ask yourself a few key questions:

How much do I really know about the topic?
How trustworthy is the source?
Have I considered other ideas?
Do I have any biases that might be influencing my thinking?

In many cases, this sort of self-questioning might help deepen your commitment to your beliefs. Or it might provide insights that you hadn’t considered before.

GIVE IT TIME

When you hear something you disagree with, your first instinct may be to challenge it or just shut down. Instead of listening or considering the other perspective, you enter a mode of thinking where you are just trying to prove the other person wrong, sometimes before you even have a chance to consider all of the points.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the emotional response you have to something. You disagree, you don’t like what you’ve heard, and you might even want the other person to know just how wrong they are.

The problem with that sort of quick-draw response is that you are acting in the heat of the moment, not taking the time to really consider all aspects of the problem, and probably not arguing all that effectively.

The alternative is to give yourself a brief period to consider the arguments and evaluate the evidence. After you hear something, take a few moments to consider the following points before you respond:

Are your own arguments based upon multiple sources?
Are you willing to revise your opinion in the face of conflicting evidence?
Will you hold on to your opinion even if the evidence discounts it?

Open-mindedness requires more cognitive effort than dogmatism. Just being willing to consider other perspectives can be a challenge, but it can be even more difficult when you find yourself having to revise your own beliefs as a result.

PRACTICE HUMILITY

Even if you are an expert on a topic, try to keep in mind that the brain is much more imperfect and imprecise than most of us want to admit. As research has shown, being knowledgeable about something can actually contribute to closed-mindedness.

When people think that they are an authority on a topic or believe that they already know all there is to know, they are less willing to take in new information and entertain new ideas. This not only limits your learning potential, but it can also be an example of a cognitive bias known as the Dunning-Kruger effect. This bias leads people to overestimate their own knowledge of a topic, making them blind to their own ignorance.

True experts tend to actually be more humble about their knowledge; they know that there is always more to learn. So if you think you know it all, chances are that you probably don’t.

As science communicator and television personality Bill Nye once said, “Everyone you will ever meet knows something that you don’t.” Without an open mind, you’ll never have the opportunity to consider those other perspectives and experiences. You’ll never get to know what others know.

If you want to encourage others to be open-minded, avoid arguing and be respectful. This minimizes the risk that the other person will feel attacked or become defensive. Instead, ask questions about how the other person thinks and feels, and then supply questions that might help encourage them to consider other perspectives or ideas.