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Seeing the world in a new light is important, particularly when you think you know everything. None of us can, and you’ll also find that our unwillingness to learn something new will actually make us brittle, unable to think, and less happy than we could be. You see it on all sides of the political spectrum, people simply unwilling to listen or even consider listening to the other side - even if only to weigh up their arguments so they could confirm their beliefs with further justification.

But how are you supposed to see the world in a new light? It can be hard to artificially bring this about. You have your own vantage point based on the culture you were raised in, the identity you hold, the tastes you have, and the relationships you build.

But why see the world in a new light? Well, put simply, it allows us to consider another’s point of view. Sometimes, it allows us to see our surroundings properly for the first time in a while. Furthermore, you may find that it allows you to feel more secure in who you are.

So - let’s consider this subject carefully, and together:

Suspend Judgement For A Time

It’s good to suspend judgement of the world, because the reality is always more complex than you know. Of course, there are certain things that are bad, and that we should choose to combat. Ignorance or hatred are one of those things. But instead of belittling others for a slight we feel they have caused, sometimes it can be that addressing an inner distaste can help us make the improvement ourselves.

For instance, you simply might not like those in engage in heavy party culture. You feel it’s somewhat off-putting, and dance music is repetitive and boring. You feel that the people who attend there are somewhat less intelligent because they don’t listen to the music you most enjoy. It’s fine to admit it, because even though when we think through these impressions rationally we know they are absurd, but those hidden biases can be hard to detect, and may have been formed when you were much younger.

Then, your friend invites you to an EDM festival and you have more fun than you’ve ever experienced partying with people you do not know. All of a sudden, your previous impressions are shattered, and you wonder how you could have been so closed-minded. This can work for a thousand issues. Political, social, cultural, or the experiences you avoid each day, all of this can be overcome or made more nuanced by suspending judgement for a time - and seeing what it is that’s actually there.

Always Assume You Can Learn Something New

It’s good to assume you can learn something new. It’s the second stage that comes to you after suspending judgement. Have you ever had a time where you took an immediate disliking to someone? Perhaps they didn’t quite make a good first impression, or perhaps they were a little too blunt in their greeting.

Then, you loosen up a bit, and end up speaking to them after your friend takes a trip to the bathroom. You realize that they’re actually quite funny and witty. You warm up to them. Your immediate thoughts of ‘this person isn’t enough for me’ or ‘I cannot be around this person for long’ turns to ‘let’s see what this person has to say.’ 

Everyone makes judgements. While you may not have had that exact scenario play out, something like this may not be so far from your memory. So, if that’s the case, then how can we make the most of this information and draw something new from it?

We always have something new to learn. When you begin to play a new instrument, for instance, you start to recognize why the masters are considered the masters. No guitar player that has been seriously practicing for a few months will have troubling why Jimi Hendrix was so celebrated. The novice respects the master, and the master will often themselves have idols and heroes they look up to. This can be tailored to anything. There’s always a fashion icon to take inspiration from, there’s always an author with better sentence structure and more interesting ideas, there’s always someone with a higher and more committed moral code than you.

You don’t have to be perfect to be pretty great. But that doesn’t mean you have to copy people in order to learn from them. Quite the opposite. This mindset can help the world open up to you, and you can more authentically understand yourself thanks to that approach. There’s nothing wrong with being weak, and unsure, and uncertain, and a novice. That’s much better than being overconfident, brittle, close-minded and unwilling to learn. So, why not rest in that?

Spend Time Observing

Of course, so far we’ve discussed how to see the world in a new light by taking some pretty heavy disciplinary measures against impulsiveness. But often, you’ll find that actually spending a little more time observing the world will help you think about it in more detail.

In order to see the world in a renewed fashion, as if you had just purchased the best quality eyeglasses you could with frames that suited you tremendously well, you need to know how to look at it. For instance, if someone doesn’t have the same political attitude as you, why might that be? They may not feel that the a sensitive social issue should be handled in the same way you do. Does that mean they are wrong and a bad person, or someone who may have had a bad experience with a consequence of that issue beforehand? Might it be something you’re not considering?

When we argue or express our point to other people, we hope they’re listening. Moreover, we hope they’re not jumping into a defense or critique straight away. That can feel troubling. So, why don’t we extend that courtesy to others? It could make all the difference, and it may help us start seeing the world in a new light.

Write Down Your Thoughts

To see the world differently, you have to see yourself differently. This can be achieved by writing down your thoughts, waiting, and reading them again. We often feel we know much more of ourselves than we actually do. You’re more complex than you think. But spending the time writing down your thoughts and watching yourself can see how you really are - not how you tell yourself you are.

This is, of course, if you’re honest. But knowing who you are in an honest context is much better than knowing an inauthentic version of yourself who makes use of bravado and deception to get through life. Writing down your thoughts can also help you express them, and understand them. This is why talking therapy is effective - it gives us a chance to properly articulate our inner thoughts and emotions.

So, writing down your thoughts can be very effective in this context. It might help you learn more about yourself. From there, it might help you know what you like and dislike, and from there, you might begin to see the world as the real you. This is not some wishy-washy form of thinking differently at all costs, it’s actually a means in which to become more familiar with yourself. This helps you think more independently, which is always good. From there, you can observe more clearly.

With this advice, we hope you can begin seeing the world in a new light - in the best possible direction.