What's Wrong With Being Open-Minded?

I think most of us could be a little more open minded. Not so open our brains fall out, but open minded, nevertheless.

Many times lately I have had people secretly inquire regarding natural healing products. They are hiding the fact that they are using a natural remedy from their spouse/loved one, or contacted me privately. The disapproving party has told them not to waste their time on that product or modality because it doesn't work. Often times the disapproving person has no idea it doesn't work since they have not tried it. They heard from a friend, or a friend of a friend who used it and it didn't work for them.

Everything we use is not one size fits all. We need to take into consideration the issue of the person and be educated on how to use the product. That is why professionals exist. If being healthy were so easy, choosing a good product would be no big deal, right? We surely wouldn't need or have doctors or natural health professionals. Anyone could do it. But we have professionals, because not everyone can or should.

Why is it some people can't get over the fact that if a scientific study isn't attached to the product or procure "proving" it works, then it automatically doesn't? There are so many scientific studies out there, you can find just about anything "proving" natural modalities don't work. Or do they? Who here has ever read a FULL study, not just the abstract? These studies can be hundreds of pages spanning over years, even decades. Depending on the study, if it isn't double blind and peer reviewed, how can we even consider it a true study? Studies are skewed many times to come to the result the person or company conducting it wants. I see this happen all the time in the essential oil world. Studies are done by essential oil manufacturers with only tidbits of the actual study shared.

Let's face it. Pharmaceutical companies aren't lining up to fund holistic studies. It isn't in their best interest to help anything but a prescription drug look like it helps or works. That doesn't mean other things don't. I read studies just like many of you. However, I do know that they can be skewed, or the data falsified so I take them with a grain of salt. Clinical and anecdotal evidence is often times more important to me. I have seen some miraculous and amazing things being a natural health practitioner. Most of these things are not backed up by a scientific study. Does that mean it doesn't work? Of course not! I see it with my own eyes. It's like the old adage, if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Does it matter? I mean, we can't disregard individual successes people have.

What do we Actually Stand to Lose by Being Open Minded?

I have found that closed-minded people don't want their ideas challenged and are more interested in proving themselves right than getting the best outcome. You could say this is a form of cognitive dissonance.

Closed-minded people are often times judgmental, opinionated, and full of criticism. I love this inspirational quote that says, “The problem with closed minded people, is that their mouth is always open.” That says a lot. Their mouth is open, but their mind isn't.

I used to be so closed minded. Probably still am a little. I believed all the rhetoric that was shared with me on many things. Vaccines for example. No, this isn't going to turn into a vaccine article. I for one just took everything at face value and even argued with others regarding how great vaccines are. I was not open minded until I needed to be.

That's the thing! Most people are not open-minded as a whole, until they need to be. Until something or someone rocks their world, why not just keep on keepin on? Humans don't like change. I am guilty of being set in my ways in many things. Holistic health is no longer one of those things.

Remember, anyone can be open minded, just not so open their brains fall out. It serves no one to be closed minded and disregard things they know nothing about. if you don't understand something, research it. Dig. Then dig deeper. Don't take things at face value and question everything. Even me. Just the other day I had someone tell me what I post and talk about is dangerous. Really? Since when is questioning things dangerous? Only dangerous to those you are questioning.

I wish you all the best in your healing journey! Should you want to reach out, please send an email to melissa@sweetwillowspirit.com. Have a wonderful day!

Love and light,

Melissa