There's a lot of talk about how being open-minded is good for you. But what does it actually mean to be open-minded and looking for inspiration in all things? How can you go about doing it in your day-to-day life?
Embrace novelty in everyday life
The world is full of interesting things to learn and explore. Why not take advantage of them?
Being open-minded is, at its core, the ability to embrace novelty in everyday life. You can begin this process by simply taking note of the things around you that inspire curiosity or wonderment—they’re everywhere! The next step is being willing to learn more about those things that spark your interest. You may want to read an article about it or watch a documentary on Netflix; maybe even talk about it with other people who are interested as well. As long as you keep an open mind and do your research, there will always be something new for you to learn from.
Find inspiration everywhere
When you're looking for inspiration, you don't have to look far. Inspiration is everywhere! Some of the most unexpected places can provide valuable insights into your work and even set the tone for it.
Look to nature: Be inspired by the natural world around you; draw from its colors, smells and sounds as inspiration for a new project. You might write about flowers or study the way light plays on an object's surface to inform your design process or help develop an idea for a game mechanic.
Look at people: Whether they are friends or strangers, all people have something interesting about them that could be used as fodder for creative projects like writing stories or making art. They might even supply some creative insight themselves!
Take in some art: How do artists express themselves through their work? What ideas do they try to convey through their mediums (e.g., painting vs printmaking)? How does this affect how they approach their craft overall? These questions are great sources of inspiration when thinking about what kind of artwork would best suit one's own purposes; likewise, considering how other creatives approach their work can spark new ideas for an existing project or spark interest in trying something entirely new altogether!
Think logically: Logical thinking doesn't always lead us towards creativity but it does allow us access into realms where others cannot go so easily because they lack these skills which makes logical thinkers valuable assets when creating anything at all whether it be academic papers needing research help done quickly before deadline date passes quickly approaching fastly with no signs pointing back towards slower speeds while still being able not pausing drive forwards slowly but surely until reaching destination safely without stopping anywhere else along way except maybe briefly once arriving destination safely finally reached without stops along way except maybe briefly once arriving destination safely finally reached without stops along way except maybe briefly once arriving destination safely finally reached without stops along way except maybe briefly once arriving destination safely finally reached without stops along
Seek out diverse sources of inspiration
You can find inspiration anywhere, from unexpected sources and in the most unlikely of places. For example, you might be inspired by a piece of art or literature that has nothing to do with your own life or career. Or maybe something as simple as a conversation with someone at the grocery store will give you some new ideas. The key is to open your mind and look for inspiration everywhere—even if it doesn't seem like there should be any there! Here are some examples:
Look for role models who inspire you
Explore new places and spaces
You never know what you might find! Open yourself up to new experiences, opportunities, and ideas that could have a positive impact on your life.
Go out of your way to meet new people.
While you may be familiar with the basics, being open-minded and seeking inspiration in all things is about more than just going to new places. It's also about trying new things and meeting new people. There are countless ways to do this, but here are a few tips for finding inspiration in others:
Go out of your way to meet new people. Whether it's walking up to that person who looks like they're having an interesting conversation or making a point of sitting at the table by yourself at a restaurant (instead of huddling up with your friends), making an effort to get acquainted with strangers will help you see things from fresh perspectives.
Be friendly and smile! This one seems obvious, but being friendly isn't always easy—especially when we're focused on our own goals or worries. But remember that every interaction has potential for learning something new about life as well as ourselves; whether it's asking questions or sharing stories from our own experiences, there are plenty of opportunities for us all along the way!
Keep an open mind about the situations you find yourself in
The world is a big place, and there are many things to explore. You can learn from them all, if you let yourself. Be open-minded about the situations you find yourself in, because they each have something special to offer us. Open your mind, and let inspiration find you!
Be open to new experiences
Don't let fear of failure or embarrassment prevent you from trying something new. Even if the end result isn't what you had hoped for, it's always better than staying where we are forever. We can always learn from our failures as much as we do our successes!
Be open to new ideas
If someone presents an idea that sounds crazy at first glance but might actually work in practice—ask yourself why it doesn't seem so crazy anymore now that they've explained it better? Are there other ways this could be done differently? What would happen if everyone did this instead of what they're doing now? The answers might surprise even yourself!
Take note of how you feel when your mind is open and allow that feeling to guide you forward
To be open-minded, it is crucial that you notice how you feel when your mind is open versus when it is closed. If you are closed off, unhappy, or feeling like life is not working for you, it’s time to take a step back and look at what could be going on in your life that would make this so. What aspects of being closed off or unhappy do I want to keep? Do I want to continue living this way if there are other options available?
When we are open-minded and allow ourselves to explore new ideas and possibilities for our lives, we will begin to find joy in all things again. We can find inspiration in even the smallest moments of our day—a beautiful sunset may inspire us with awe; a funny joke may inspire laughter; seeing someone smile may inspire happiness within us. When we allow ourselves the freedom of exploring those things which bring us joy rather than holding onto negativity or unhappiness, then joy will flow freely into our lives once more!
Encourage others to be open-minded too
You are a unique person and you can only see things from your perspective. When others come in with their own perspectives, it’s important to listen and embrace those differences. Listen more than you talk and try not to judge people based on their beliefs or the way they look. Asking questions is good because it shows that you are open-minded and wanting to learn more about what makes them different from you.
It’s also important not to be afraid to say “I don't know” when someone asks a question that you don't have an answer for yet, as well as being honest with yourself if something isn't working out how planned or expected (even if it's something small). If someone asks why something didn't go according to plan then let them know! They may actually have some great suggestions on how things could improve in future situations just by admitting when we didn't do something correctly first time around but this time we'll try harder next time."
This quote reminds me of my best friend's mom who always used say: "If at first an idea doesn't work out then try again". This quote reminds me of my best friend's mom who always used say: "If at first an idea doesn't work out then try again".
Being open-minded doesn't just mean being okay with different opinions, it means being inspired by new things, finding joy in exploring, and looking at every experience as an opportunity to learn something new
For example, imagine you are a city dweller who has never been on a farm. If you decided to visit one for the first time, you might see cows or horses and think "eww" or "gross." You may even get some bad vibes from other people who are visiting because they're excited to see these animals. However, over time (and maybe after getting some facts about how dairy cows are raised), those same cows could become your favorite animal! And if you find yourself in another situation where someone else is excited about seeing cow manure or farm life generally being gross, remember that there is value in all experiences—even if they don't appeal to us right away!
Now that you’ve gotten a sense of how to be open-minded in your everyday life, we want to encourage you to take note of how this feels. Does it feel good? Do you enjoy the feeling of being open-minded? If so, make every effort to keep this feeling at the forefront of your mind. You can do this by consciously seeking out new experiences and ways of thinking which inspire and challenge you, as well as encouraging others to follow suit!