Tayeba Sharif
The world has reached its 21st century and yet there remain people with a mindset that belongs in the medieval era. Racists and sexists still dominate the streets of the world; they bully the general public just because they are unique. The fear of being judged may often act as a hindrance to greater achievements. Having an open mind may not just lead you to success, but instead take the whole country towards an evolution.
The first and most important step in order to be an open-minded person is acceptance. One must learn to accept that they can be wrong and being wrong does not demean them. They must keep their egos and their ethics separate. Often times, people who possess higher authority over others choose to ignore what is right and use their power to make things work according to their own interests. This not only demotivates a person in regards to their work, but ceases progress altogether.
The second step towards achieving an open mind is to be open to change. Often, people stick to their old customs, traditions, and beliefs passed onto them from their ancestors even though their surroundings have undergone rapid changes. People still believe in ridiculous superstitions like widows being considered inauspicious, black cats and broken mirrors bringing bad luck, and chillies and lemons having the power to ward off evil. Such beliefs are illogical and are still followed due to people burying their heads in sand and ignoring science.
The last step towards an open mind can be achieved when people are open to new ideas and willing to step out of their comfort zones. They need to be able to respect the opinions of others even if they are in conflict with their own.
Open-mindedness can be accomplished better when people travel more often to new cities with distinctive cultures and acquire knowledge about them. Some other factors that may influence how a person can be open-minded may rely on education. The more educated a person is, the higher the chances of them being open-minded. It also depends on the family and upbringing of an individual. It is likely that a person will resist changes in society if they have been born and brought up in strict family environments.
Being open-minded will bring positive changes to a person’s daily life. Qualities like honesty will naturally come to you, as being open-minded does not scare one of being wrong. On the other hand, with more open minded people around us, society as a whole will be ameliorated since there will be fewer judgemental humans and more efficacious people.