How to Become More Open-Minded
By Erica Starks, eHow Contributor



Become More Open-Minded
Open-mindedness is the ability to view a given situation in the clearest, most unbiased fashion possible. It is also a way of viewing the world and the people in it through a perspective unobstructed by judgment, preconceived notions and personal expectations. Being open-minded can aid you in avoiding conflict, but it is not a trait which comes naturally for everyone. Here you will find methods of expanding your tolerance levels, leading to a more opened mind and increased contentment with your life.

Instructions

1
Validate dissenting opinions and viewpoints other than your own by accepting that disagreement doesn't mean one party has to be wrong. Ridding yourself of the notion that everyone who feels differently about an issue than you is wrong will open your mind analytically and emotionally, even if your own viewpoint never changes.

2
Keep anger, accusations and belittlement out of heated discussions with others. The fastest way to close your mind and those of others is to disrespect them in an effort to win an argument. Think of how it feels when someone tries to tear you down, and use this recollection to avoid inflicting this feeling on anyone else.

3
Research and ask questions about the alternate viewpoint of where you stand on an issue. For example, if you are staunchly against gun ownership, speak to gun owners to gain insight into their particular thought processes. Although a handful of people can't speak for everyone, open-mindedness comes when you let go of the idea that others who feel differently than you are somehow misinformed or less intelligent.

4
Remain open to discussions and questions from those who don't agree with you on a given subject. It won't be easy to feel as if you have to defend your position on something, but this openness may reinforce your feelings on the subject and also help others understand where you are coming from.

5
Step out of your comfort zone in visceral ways. Sample foods you never thought you'd like, take a trip to a place you never considered interesting, and try a hobby or sport that never caught your interest before. Whether you love or hate the activity, your opinion will now be based on personal experience rather than closed-minded speculation.


How will you step out of your comfort zone to become more open-minded?

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Blog #6: Tolerance Through Communication

Information taken from: http://technorati.com/lifestyle/article/diversity-tolerance-through-communication-part-1/


There are many controversies currently happening around us, including the Arizona Immigration law, racial profiling, the Cordoba Mosque and the Dove movement, that inspired me to share some peaceful thoughts, and not get into the debate of who is right and who is wrong or even take sides. Hopefully, I'll be able to start a healthy dialog.

The US is a great country - if not the greatest; the founding fathers built it on the spirit of human rights, tolerance, and acceptance of all differences. The US is built on diversity, on a combination of flavors to strengthen the foundation of this country, one flavor enhances the other.

One doesn’t have to agree or like everyone, but one has to treat everyone and every person with respect and equality.What someone thinks is their business, how they act it out is what is important as it concerns others. Having flexibility to integrate is what will get us all to the safe side of the river.

Prejudice is a natural human reaction, we all have distrust and fear from people that don’t look like us or are different from ourselves. Confronting our belief system and find our biases becomes crucial so we can make smart choices about our behavior. Healthy conflicts bring positive changes, effective communications provide safe environment to discuss conflicts and differences. Effective communications creates tolerance, which creates acceptance and respect; both are key solutions to most of our problems.

When people are asked what they think represents difficult communications with others, the answers include:

People that get angry for no reason
People with heavy accents
People that talk all the time and don’t listen
People that listen to us - then re-arrange our words the way they want to understand them
People that always think they are right
People with egos
People that are indirect.
People assume that people that are different from them either by color, age, race, religion, gender, political views are difficult to communicate with, and this is where the communications’ barriers start erecting.

Just because we speak the same language doesn’t mean that we understand each other, perhaps because of factors like where or the way we grew up, the kind of work we do, or our ethnicity, religion and language origin.

But we can effectively communicate and bridge the gaps to a diverse world, and better understand and respect each other words, feelings, thoughts and actions. Effective communication has many forms; the most practical forms are dialog and debate.

Dialog is a collection of skills we communicate with to develop understanding and trust. Dialog is conducted between two people, or a group of people. Dialog is a non judgmental, two-way conversation. It is about putting ourselves in the other person's shoes and trying to feel how they feel. It is about developing sets of shared assumptions to use as a foundation to work together to find a way to agree in a non combative way.

While in a debate, we try to win. We concentrate on the weakness of our opponent, on what is wrong with their argument, to prove why our position is right. In a debate we stand our ground, defend our point of view and criticize other perspectives. The goal is to win, but at the end no one really wins.

It is important to understand the difference between dialog that respects both sides, and debate where the belief is that only one opinion is right, and of course it is ours.

In a perfect diverse world, people develop strong opinions. Let their feelings emerge through the process of dialog, but not in a way to cause conflict or in a way to prevent moving forward.

Hmmm....What do you think? Ponder on this statement, "Just because we speak the same language doesn’t mean that we understand each other, perhaps because of factors like where or the way we grew up, the kind of work we do, or our ethnicity, religion and language origin. But we can effectively communicate and bridge the gaps to a diverse world, and better understand and respect each other words, feelings, thoughts and actions. Effective communication has many forms; the most practical forms are dialog and debate."







Read more: http://technorati.com/lifestyle/article/diversity-tolerance-through-communication-part-1/#ixzz16of8QvT4

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Blog #5: You think you know who you are but you may have no idea

In order for people to communicate effectively with each other, they need to begin the process of respecting, understanding, and empathize with people of all genders, races, cultures, classes, ethnics, religions, and sexual orientations to name a few. If we cannot do that, we cannot communicate effectively. By educating ourselves about our differences and engaging in respectful behavior, communication will flourish and meaningful relationships will develop. I don't just mean friendships, I mean even communicating with a stranger on the street that is from a different background than you. Prejudice lives within us all, regardless if we believe so or not. By accepting this, you will be a better person and embrace the need for development in your own character.

Crashing Through Prejudice
by Rebecca Schingel


Crash. It is the perfect analogy of how we as a human race deal with life, people and our own experiences. Physical characteristics and racial differences may be interpreted as two distinguishing traits that separate us. I think it’s what keeps us apart. That leaves several abstract questions that the film Crash illustrates. What are the origins of personal prejudice? Do individual experiences fuel standing stereotypes? Is it easier to perpetuate existing stereotypes because “things will never change?” Can people battle internal struggles within their own ethnic group? What prohibits us from overcoming these prejudices?

Ponder these questions and respond