Are You Open?
Are you open? When a store or restaurant is open, it obviously means that you can come in and satisfy your need to shop or dine and often you are served. The door is open, all you do is walk-in. When a store or restaurant is closed you can not gain entry, you do not get your wants and needs met, you are not served and you may even feel stuck, as you really wanted what was in that business. How does this apply to your life?
Are you an open learner? An open book? Open to feedback? Open to new opportunities and risks? Open to failure? Open to imperfection? Open to new relationships, experiences, ideas, concepts, and beliefs?
When you live as an open learner as opposed to a closed learner, you will receive so much more of what life has to give. Closed learners are not open to anyone’s suggestions (maybe only a select few who agree with their ideas and beliefs), no one can tell them anything as they already know it all and have a resulting fixed mindset. They are not explorers, they are often righteous, closed-minded and critical to any other beliefs but their own.
That is the path of living without risk, and only through risk can we learn and grow. Otherwise, we stay put and limit our possibilities and potential to challenge our beliefs and opinions in order to expand. When we allow expansion, we get “bigger” and more well informed. We embrace diversity, our differences, and each other’s individual challenges and paths. We often gain more empathy and sympathy. Living open-minded with an open mindset is about letting life walk in, teach you some lessons and assist you in a life of growth, curiosity and opportunity.
Living close-minded, with a closed mindset, is shutting out anything and everything that you do not believe for yourself and living with an “I know” attitude instead of “I don’t know, but I am curious and want to know even more.”
Observe if you are open today? What new thought, belief, concept. or subject (such as nature, science, history, social issues, climate change, nutrition, politics, novels, non-fiction reads, documentaries would be interesting to explore that you hadn’t before?) What new people could you meet at work today or in your life? I know that I have shut myself down to my own closed mindset around many unfamiliar topics and I, also, know when I allow myself to be open, more gets in and I gain so much more! I have more connection, life looks more interesting and I am stimulated and I grow!
I teach what I most need to learn.
Warmly,
Gail
Practice #5: You know this one, the mother of them all… have a grateful heart. Write down three things you are grateful for every morning when you start your day. I know that even in the worst of circumstances you can find those gems. Perhaps, you are grateful for running water, hot water, a roof over your head, your support system, for all the laundry you have as it is evidence your family is alive and well. For your health or for the good medical care you have if you are struggling with your health. Be grateful for the wind that blows out the pollution, the food in your refrigerator, your car, your thick hair, fresh fruit and veggies, your comfy bed, your loyal pet, your functioning body, your friends and family. There are so many things we can be grateful for, even when we feel sad, lonely, frustrated or when we grieve our devastating losses. Acknowledging that you are grateful everyday for things in your life will take you to a place of relief, if not for just a few minutes. It is worth it.
