Adapted from an article I wrote in 2008, previously published on The Examiner.com. All rights reserved.

Exploration of a Closed Mind: Why Openness Unlocks Growth in Health, Faith, and Life

“A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood.” – Chinese Proverb

We’ve all heard someone say they have an “open mind.” But in practice, most of us resist new ideas that challenge what we’ve “always known”—whether that’s changing our diet, trying a new movement routine, rethinking old beliefs, or letting go of resentment in relationships. Closed-mindedness doesn’t just show up in religion; it shows up in how we eat, how we move, how we heal, and how we grow. In this article, we’ll explore why people close their minds, the cost of staying stuck, and how cultivating openness can transform your health, faith, and daily life.

Everyone likes to think of themselves as “open-minded.” Yet, the reality often looks very different. Many people quickly dismiss ideas that challenge what they’ve always known—whether it’s a new way of eating, a different perspective on spirituality, or even a fresh approach to exercise. Ironically, what we label as “new” is often wisdom that’s been around for centuries—practiced in cultures across the world, waiting for us to rediscover it.

Closed-mindedness shows up in more places than just religion. It’s present in how we treat our bodies, our food, our relationships, and our daily choices. The cost of staying closed? Missed opportunities for healing, growth, and transformation.

Where Closed Minds Hide

A closed mind isn’t just about theology or philosophy. It slips into everyday life:

• Religion & Spirituality: One group insists it alone has the truth, while dismissing the richness of others’ perspectives.
• Health & Fitness: People reject new movement practices, saying, “That’s just not for me,” without ever trying.
• Food & Diet: Many cling to processed comfort foods, resisting lifestyle changes that could radically improve their health.
• Relationships: We hold on to grudges, unwilling to imagine that forgiveness, vulnerability, or empathy might transform the dynamic.
• Personal Growth: When faced with an unfamiliar idea, we laugh it off rather than lean in with curiosity.

In every area, closed-mindedness keeps us small. It locks the door on possibility.

Why We Shut the Door on New Ideas

At its root, closed-mindedness often grows from fear:

• Fear of being wrong.
• Fear of letting go of old comforts.
• Fear of the unknown.

Sometimes, it’s easier to scoff at a plant-based diet, reject meditation, or dismiss another person’s perspective than to face the possibility that change could disrupt our familiar patterns.

Psychiatrist Dr. Brian L. Weiss (1996) once wrote, “Individuals who never question their assumptions and belief systems are closed-minded. How can they assimilate new observations and new knowledge when their minds are blinded by untested old ideas?” When we stop questioning, we stop growing.

What an Open Mind Looks Like

Openness doesn’t mean gullibility. It means being curious and discerning at the same time:

• Ask questions. Don’t assume you already know.
• Try before you reject. Test new practices—whether that’s yoga, gratitude journaling, or Sabbath rest—before dismissing them.
• Hold beliefs with humility. You can have convictions without arrogance.
• Let truth refine you. Allow new knowledge to challenge what no longer serves you.

An open mind listens, explores, and evaluates before drawing conclusions. It doesn’t blindly follow every trend, but it doesn’t shut out new opportunities either.

The Cost of Staying Closed

History shows us the danger of closed thinking. If no one had questioned “settled truth,” other people groups are meant to enslave, women shouldn’t vote, or bleeding cures illness. Every significant breakthrough began with someone daring to explore what others dismissed.

The same is true in our personal lives. A closed mind can keep us stuck in unhealthy eating patterns, stagnant relationships, or limited belief systems. It blinds us to healing practices, creative solutions, or transformative truths that could set us free.

The Invitation: Living With Openness

Growth requires courage—the courage to examine our habits, challenge our beliefs, and explore unfamiliar paths. Openness doesn’t weaken us; it expands us.

When we allow our minds to open, we give ourselves permission to:

• Heal our bodies with new practices.
• Restore relationships with empathy.
• Reframe our faith with humility.
• Reclaim our lives with possibility.

The truth doesn’t change, but our willingness to see it does. The question is: will you keep the book of your mind closed, or will you open it to the wisdom that’s waiting?

The Power of the Mind: Overcoming Negative Thought Patterns(Opens in a new browser tab)

It Costs Too Much: The Hidden Price of Clinging to What Hurts(Opens in a new browser tab)

Casting Your Pearls: When We Started Questioning Paul Part I(Opens in a new browser tab)

References

Weiss, B. L. (1996). Only love is real: A story of soulmates reunited. Warner Books, Inc.