A call to open our minds!

Recently, I connected with an old friend who I hadn’t spoken to in a while. Rather than having a good time, I struggled to be open-minded toward many of his opinions and biases. A lot of people have had this same experience over the last few years with the country’s polarization.

Kendra Cherry, author of “How to be open-minded” defines open-mindedness as, “a tendency to be receptive to new ideas and information; being objective when you approach new things, listening to other points of view, and being willing to admit what you don’t know.”

She goes on to list some benefits that open-minded people enjoy including optimism, new experiences, mental resilience, empathy, and humility. I didn’t know it at the time, but as a young boy, it was the open-mindedness of my mom that wound up having a profound impact on my health.

I had asthma quite often as a child, and I was taking a doctor-prescribed medication called Marax. I’ll never forget its thick and syrupy consistency, its greenish-yellow hue, and if hell had a flavor—it would taste like this stuff. Its main ingredient was ephedrine, a powerful central nervous system stimulant that signals the release of adrenaline which opens airways in the lungs. It also increases the heart rate and blood pressure for extended periods, and this was very tough on my developing nervous system.

Unfortunately, the medicine didn’t do much to improve my asthma and the doctor dismissed my mom’s concerns that Marax was doing more harm than good. In fact, he advised that the dosage be increased.

Refusing to accept this course of action and determined to find an alternative treatment, her search ultimately led to a holistic chiropractic office. Despite the fact that traditional doctors regarded this branch of medicine as nothing more than voodoo, my mom was undeterred and she took me in to meet one of their physicians.

After my exam, it was their opinion that removing sugar from my diet and receiving weekly adjustments would reduce the frequency and severity of my asthma attacks. Under their care, that’s exactly what happened—all without any disgusting medications.

I’m so grateful that my mom was receptive to new ideas and information all those years ago, as doing so significantly improved the health of my respiratory system and influenced my lifestyle today.

Like most people, I’m open-minded in some areas and I could use some help in others. So I’ve done a little research and put together some suggestions on how to make that happen. Putting these into practice has heightened my curiosity about opinions that differ from my own and I feel less defensive emotional attachment to my own points of view.

Be an active listener. Having a genuine interest in learning about someone’s perspective without a personal agenda can quickly build trust. A 2014 study found that passive (non-active) listening by doctors was a cause of medical errors and unintentional harm to patients.

Fight confirmation bias. Surrounding ourselves with people, information sources, and media that align with our long-held beliefs and opinions can stunt personal growth and provides no encouragement to broaden our perspectives.

Be grateful. An attitude of gratitude feeds an open mind, especially for those things easily taken for granted (healthy lungs, 10 fingers and toes, eyesight, etc.).

Be mindful of judgments. Harboring judgmental thoughts puts a clamp on our minds and hearts, and reflects how we’re feeling toward ourselves.

Practice and be patient. For many people, open-mindedness isn’t natural and requires practice and repetition. Being patient with yourself during this process will teach you to extend patience to others, as well.

What other useful steps could be added to the list that can open our minds and let some light in? Are you naturally an open-minded person? If so, I invite you to share your perspectives—they are most welcomed and likely worth their weight in gold.