One of my favorite things about traveling is trying new things. I’ll say yes to just about everything. Sometimes I see amazing things and sometimes I fall into tourist traps. But if I didn’t say yes to everything, I would have missed out on so many beautiful experiences.

The more we live and learn, the easier it is to think we know it all. But staying stubbornly open minded is a skill that can be nurtured. With tribalism all around us, with folks everywhere taking sides and digging in their heels, remaining curious and open is a powerful practice.

When we open our minds and our hearts, we open ourselves up to new experiences and the beauty that is all around us.

Open mindedness doesn’t just make us happier, it improves the neuroplasticity in our brains. It increases gray matter, we’re able to learn faster and more easily, improves our memory, we become smarter, and it can help recover from brain damage and prevent dementia.