When was the last time you had the most interesting conversation with your family, friends, partner, co-workers or your clients? It is not surprising that most of us will be living in our inner bubble, too busy to look sideways, without paying attention to the outer larger world.
In best-seller “The Rules of Life”, author Richard Templar rightfully says: “Taking an interest in the outside world is about developing you for yourself, rather than the world’s benefit”. Here are more points suggested by Templar and worth mentioning:
Keep abreast of what is happening. That doesn’t mean you have to watch new constantly, but by reading, listening and talking, we keep informed of what is changing, what is new and what is happening in your community and in the outside world. Read that book, turn on the radio or watch some TV. We all need to catch up with the world once in a while.
Open your mind to new possibilities. Read as often as you can – at least a book per month should do – and try to pick diverse titles, both fiction and non-fiction, to expand your horizons. This way you might be able to see different situations from different angles, cultivate new interests and be able to share your thoughts to your peers, whether it’s about a cooking recipe, the latest economic crisis or Mark Billingham’s new thriller.
Think variety. Don’t limit yourself to just one topic (example: politics), know what happens in current events, movies, fashion, sports, science and so on. This will enable you to hold a conversation on any topic because you are interested in what’s going on and this makes you more interesting as a person.
Keep your mind fit. Exercising new things improves memory and keeps all of us healthy and younger. (goodbye, Alzheimer!) If you have never done or experience a certain thing, don’t think it is useless or not important enough to try. Avoid the self-sufficient mentality and keep yourself open to a whole new dimension, regardless your age. You might miss out on great things if you don’t!
Be part of something. Don’t shut yourself out from the world or hide under your shell because of sadness, fear, not acceptance or whatever reason. “The happiest, most well-balanced, most successful people in life are those who are part of something. Part of the world, not cut off from it”, says Templar.
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