Choice, Fear, Love, and Open-Mindedness

Open-mindedness and acceptance do not translate into homogeneity. Instead they promote a broadening of diversity and uniqueness.

I read a friend’s FB post recently that lamented the lack of open minded decisions resulting from the recent terror attacks. I understand it. When the going gets tough and the water gets turbulent, sometimes the immediate reaction is to batten down the hatches. Stay small, stay safe, stay secure.

But that’s a reptilian reaction. It’s a “fight, flight, freeze” response to the extreme stimulus of terrorism. It also has no basis in cognitive thought.

Therefore, in order to promote acceptance and diversity, we need to re-engage our frontal lobes and get out of out lizard minds. We need to do something that alleviates the limbic system’s response.

What does that look like? Well, there are many answers to that question. Here’s mine:

1) Acknowledge the limbic response and fill your heart with gratitude that it exists. It has saved us many a time in dangerous situations. We don’t want to get rid of it.

Then

2) Choose to engage the frontal lobe. This is the thinking/cognitive part of your brain. It’s where mindfulness resides. It’s where you have choice.choice-fear-love

And as you all know, choice is what matters. Choice creates change, and change can be born of love or fear. You choose.

 

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