By Katie Boyd
What is a close-minded person? By definition, they are similar to what we call a skeptic. However, with a close-minded individual no matter how many facts or ideas you put in front of them their minds will never change. They just simply are not open to changing old habits and routines or introducing new ideas into their set system of beliefs. They can be anyone, your family members, a close friend, a co-worker or even your spouse. It is rough especially when you are attempting to make changes in your own life and those close-minded people around you keep telling you that you cannot. It can feel like fighting an uphill battle.
Our society is ever changing, always introducing new ideas, concepts and advances. I am still surprised though how many people are still having problems adapting to change. These types of people interrupt our evolution both mentally, spiritually and in a worldwide way. However more and more innovative types are coming to the surface and taking leadership roles. On a smaller scale, we as individuals can learn to work around these types of personalities so that they do not stand in our way of making change.
My Experiences with Close-Minded People
I remember one time when I was doing a book signing with my co-authors of Ghost Quest In New Hampshire book, we encountered a close minded individual. This young man came up to our table, slammed a book down, and walked out of the store. Our faces were confused with the situation that just happened. We looked at the book and it seemed to be a religious book. Now mind you that our book was about paranormal cases and some clients, which we have helped with spirits and more. It had nothing to do with religion. During this time, I came to realize that the key to dealing with a close-minded person is patience, not persistence. They most likely will never change their minds about a situation or idea. So do not try, I used to think that I had to help them see my point of view and I would try every way to do so. Nevertheless, it seemed as though I would not gained any ground. Truth be told, I never did. So inevitably, after trying repeatedly I realized the first step is to be patient. Whatever their belief is it is their truth, not yours. You do not need to try to bend them to your truth or agree with their beliefs to gain a sense of acceptance.
You are the Close-Minded Person
You can be a close-minded person and never even know it! When you limit yourself to certain things you can or cannot do, you are closing off those possibilities of what you could or would do. However, there are ways to counteract the effects of conditioned close-mindedness. Every time you catch yourself saying to someone else or yourself that you can or cannot do something that it is not plausible or it’s “out of your reach” just recognize it for what it is. Insecurity causes us to create these bubbles of safety. Something that keeps us in the realm of what we know instead of putting ourselves out into the world of the unknown and infinite possibility. For some it is the fear that if something previously believed implausible becomes possible then they were wrong the entire time and there is whole new world out there for them to discover. They may realize how small they really are in the grand scheme of things. The puncture to their bubble may cause a panic as they realize they are no longer in a safe place. Whichever the case do not limit yourself. If you accuse someone of being a close-minded person, you really need to evaluate yourself. As they say, “It takes one to know one.”
[photo by: svilen001]
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