We live in a world where everything seems clean-cut. This is “good” and this is “bad”. Yet, there are very few situations we’ll come across in life that are so plain and simple to answer. Most of the time, we may find ourselves making a decision we were positive we would never make. That does not make us “bad” people, but people who live. So, in a world that says “either/or” and “black and white”, how do we live in a world of grey?

Be open-minded.

We like our beliefs. Our beliefs are a safety zone. However, outside of our beliefs and this safety zone, is us as we are. By keeping our mind closed and clinging to what we believe to be true, we cannot grow. We stunt ourselves as a person. Keeping an open mind does not mean being swayed by whatever way the tide is moving today. Instead, an open mind acts as a vessel for information to pass through. Allow yourself to see other perspectives, even if they frighten you. You may make a pleasant discovery about the world around you or come to a deeper understanding of a more gruesome situation.

Be okay with being wrong.

This is a challenge for me. Anyone who knows me that read this probably just snorted with laughter. I hate being wrong. I’m extremely competitive and my ego likes to march around like it’s omnipotent. However, it’s important to reign it in. Not occasionally or sometimes, but all the time.

There’s two paths to become okay with being wrong. The first is to admit it and accept it when you are wrong. It is incredibly empowering to turn to someone and say, “I was wrong. I’m sorry”. It brings an enormous relief. The other path to take is when you are offering input and opinions on a decision. When making choices, take a stance that you do not know everything. There is a possibility that you are misreading what needs to be done, not because you’re “stupid” or incompetent or not good enough, but because you are human. Aren’t we all?

Live “and” instead of “or”.

When we limit ourselves to “either/or” we create a “stuck” situation, or a situation where you feel stuck and cannot move forward. Either the situation goes this way or it goes that way. Where’s the in-between? When we start saying “and/both”, then we open ourselves to more opportunities. We lower the magnifying glass and allow ourselves to see the situation as a whole.