Listening to music across genres, from different parts of the world, and from different points in history can make your brain become more receptive to new experiences. New music can help you emotionally connect with new people, places, and things.
For example, you could read books by authors from other countries, or read about the struggles of having an identity (such as a gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation) other than your own.
Learning a new language can help promote understanding across cultural barriers. How a culture puts their thoughts into words can offer insight into its values and traditions.
It may be polite to ask the place of worship if you can come in advance. You want to avoid crashing things like weddings or holy holidays without an invitation. Come to these services with an open mind. Don’t expect to explain your belief system or try to prove their views wrong. Simply listen, observe, and try to express gratitude to this new group for sharing their time and their values with you.
Community centers, recreation centers, community colleges, and university extension centers often offer these types of classes for free or at a lower cost. Boosting your creativity can be especially beneficial, so try taking dance, painting, drawing, acting, and other arts-related classes. Group classes are also great ways to meet new people.
To listen actively, give someone your undivided attention. Don’t play with your phone or daydream as they speak. Make eye contact and nod occasionally to indicate you’re listening. Try to visualize the events, objects, or people they describe.
For instance, sit with someone you normally wouldn’t talk to during your lunch break at school or work. Let your conversation develop naturally instead of immediately ask about their religious or political beliefs. Try to get to know them by asking, “Where are you from?” or “What do you like to do for fun?” Some college campuses and community organizations will hold events meant to bring people with different backgrounds and beliefs together. Events like those put on by the Human Library, where people from different backgrounds volunteer as human books that you can “check out” for an open conversation, can help you connect with a wide variety of people.
Enter new places with a curious mindset. Avoid judging or making assumptions just because different cultures do things differently. Instead, try to remain open and learn as much as you can. [11] X Expert Source Sandra PossingLife Coach Expert Interview. 13 August 2020. International travel is a great way to understand different beliefs. Plan a trip to a place where you don’t speak the language and don’t have many connections. Learning to navigate a new part of the world without your normal tools will help broaden your perspective. If you can’t make it abroad, look nearby for something that will challenge you. If you live in a city, go camping in the woods for a few days. Do you live in California? Try taking a trip to the American South to meet new people, try new food, and learn about different ways of life.
For a really unique experience, consider combining volunteering and travel. Going on a volunteer trip or even setting aside a single day to volunteer while you’re in a new place can help open you up to completely different people and perspectives.
For example, if you were raised believing that hard work is all you need to succeed, ask yourself, “Are there people who worked hard but still struggled in life? Are there other factors that may impact your ability to succeed outside of your work ethic?”
Say, for example, you’ve never tried pasta with pesto sauce, and you assume you’ll hate it. Ask yourself why you assume you would dislike it. Is it because the sauce is green? Is it because you don’t like the smell? Maybe you don’t have a great reason to make the assumption, and you should give pesto a try!
Start a new article when you’re in line at the bank, for example, or listen to a podcast during your commute. Be sure to look for using reputable sources. There’s a lot of false and biased information available online. Look for scholarly articles, reports published by independent third-party organizations, and information from credible sites, like governments, universities, and reputable news bureaus.
Suppose you want to see a higher minimum wage. As you research the issue, you might read about small business owners who are afraid that higher payroll costs would force them to close. While you still stand by your belief, you might realize an opposing perspective might have valid points.
