Everyone talks about how “it’s important to be open-minded,” and for a long time, I couldn’t have agreed more. After all, when you’re wrong about something, it make sense to change your mind on the matter.
But I believe we talk way too much about open-mindedness, and far too little about something much more important: “open-spiritedness”.
The goal of being open-spirited resonates with me more because it’s all about embodying qualities like love, forgiveness, and grace. Open-spiritedness is about softening our hearts and embracing what life, and a higher power, has in store for us.
And here’s the truth: an excessive focus on open-mindedness leads us astray.
The world is full of ideas, not all of them good. It's easy to get lost in the maze of thoughts, doubts, and the persuasive tactics that aim to disconnect us from our true selves and each other. Open-mindedness, without discernment, is a pathway for confusion and division, leading us away from our spirit.
Reflecting on the kind of people I want in my life, I realize it's not necessarily those who are always changing their minds. More crucial than the ability to change one’s mind is to still treat each other well amidst our differences. Our society's discord isn't rooted in our varied tastes or opinions but in our failure to approach these differences with kindness and an open spirit.
Open-spiritedness, to me, is the willingness to collaborate and connect with others, regardless of differing views. It’s a commitment to kindness and understanding, above all.
And there are few things more important to us seeding a Golden Age than more of us embodying a truly open-spirited approach to the people around us.