Open Your Mind to New Experiences and Possibilities
You should open your mind to new experiences and consider new possibilities, as this is the only way of growing mentally and spiritually.
There’s an old saying that goes like this:
‘There is plenty of food for every bird, but it is not thrown into the nest.’
So what does this mean? Well to me it means two things. The first is that the society that we live, finds many people going through life with the same mindset and routine that they have been following for any number of years. Considering all the frenzied schedules everyone supposedly must stick to, and the massive amount of cares and responsibilities that define modern life, this is certainly an easy cycle of life to fall victim to.
There is Enough of Everything for Everyone
The second is that it refers to the fact that there is enough of everything i.e. money, food and housing to go around. However you need to think outside the box and be open to new possibilities in order to benefit.
When reaching a certain age, by far the majority of men and women form a definitive idea of what they trust and believe, and how they will do things and run their lives moving forward. This, many people no doubt will say, is a quite natural thing to do once you’ve reached adulthood and are maturing into what can be termed the independent phase of one’s life.
That’s all good and well, but the problem with this process begins when you become so set in your idea of what life is all about that your mind becomes irrevocably blocked off from new ideas and you can't consider new possibilities.
Is Life Meant to Be Repetitive?
At some stage during the monotonous and repetitive nature of day-to-day life, many of us tend to forget that life itself is actually anything but repetitive. Far from it. Of course, there are certain facets and characteristics of your life that re-occur on virtually every single day, but this generally constitutes only a very small part of your existence. It happens as you gets older, and sometimes long before, when your mind becomes shut off from the ‘bigger picture’, and the stimulating and virtually unique experiences that could and should occur in your life all the time tend to pass you by.
One of the important factors that supports what can be termed the close-minded approach to life is our normal human inclination to try to seek comfort in what can be termed ‘the known’. Most of us were brought up to feel safe and protected whenever things are familiar and foreseeable. That’s quite normal. Each of us creates a comfort zone in which we feel safe and secure as we pass through the different stages of our lives.
Open your Mind or Stay in your Comfort Zone
Almost without exception we all have comfort zones to a lesser or greater extent. Familiar things such as the town or city you’ve lived in since you were a child, the company you’ve worked for since you finished studying, the exact same resort you go to each summer without fail for your annual holiday, these are all typical examples of comfort zones. Although there’s nothing inherently wrong with any of these examples, consider that perhaps you’re stuck in a rut. Consider that what you always thought was your comfort zone has in reality become your prison. Has hesitation, perhaps even fear, prevented you from experiencing anything that is new and therefore different and unfamiliar?
Irrespective of whichever season of life you find yourself in, you can rest assured that you have not learnt, and will not ever learn, all that there is to know. Life is too wide-ranging, multi-faceted and short for you ever to experience everything that there is to offer. That being the case, if it so happens that you are nestling comfortably and securely in your comfort zone with a tough and hard-bitten mindset that doesn’t welcome change, you won’t be able even to begin to comprehend what is out there and waiting for you!
Look Through the Lens of an Open Mind
Newsflash alert! Life is very short. You are not meant to spend it in a continuous cycle of normality. If for a moment you can look through the lens of your open mind, the clarity of your mindset will allow you to see everything on which you have been missing out. Make a point of venturing out and try to experience all kinds of new things at every chance you get. A good place to start is to go to the page on family life coaching where you'll see why you should have a life coach to open you up to new possibilities.
Yes, of course it can include that overseas holiday you have been thinking about for years but keep putting off. It doesn’t even have to be nearly as grand as that. Read a new book by an author unfamiliar to you, try hiking a local trail that you heard recommended, or attempt taking up a new hobby you’ve been thinking about but have never found the time for, anything that will break the cycle of normality. You need to remember that it’s perfectly acceptable to place yourself in situations that are a little strange and uncomfortable, maybe even scary. Remember too that growth will never take place if you’re still stuck firmly in your comfort zone. For some other ideas have a look at Live Your Life on Purpose.
It doesn’t matter how fixed, even obligatory, your daily routine may be, it can always be changed in some way, or moved every now and again. A really meaningful and fulfilling lifestyle is one that is filled with exciting new thoughts, ideas and experiences. So don’t waste your valuable time searching for shelter within the known and the commonplace. Open your mind, get out there and consider new possibilities.