There are some people who live their whole lives in rooms without windows. They shut the curtains on anything new that comes across them. They are afraid that what lies beyond might challenge what they have always believed. They call it being realistic, but it is just a hidden fear of change, growth or being wrong. They are called narrow-minded!
We all encounter them at some point — people who refuse to look beyond their own beliefs, who reject unfamiliar ideas and who seem almost allergic to change. At first, you might think you can influence them, maybe even inspire them to see things differently. But over time, you learn that spending too much energy around narrow-minded people can suffocate your own growth, joy and sense of possibility.
And if you stay around them too long, their fear will start whispering into your dreams. You will begin to shrink yourself just to fit into their comfort zone. You were not made to live small, but to expand, to evolve and to grow.
Sometimes, narrow-minded people will tell you that your ideas are foolish, your dreams are too big and your optimism is naive! Thus, don’t let their limits become your own. What they call impossible is simply something they have never seen done.
When you meet those people, always try to protect your energy. You don’t need to argue with those who refuse to understand. You don’t need to convince those who have already chosen not to see. Instead, walk forward with quiet confidence and let your life become the proof of what open-mindedness can do.
When you do have to deal with them, do so with grace. Don’t waste your breath trying to change their minds — some people defend their narrowness like a fortress. Boundaries are not walls; they are filters letting in what helps you grow and keeping out what holds you back.
Yes, you can love people and still surpass them. You can care for them and still choose peace over conflict, curiosity over criticism, expansion over stagnation. Setting boundaries is not cruel; it is how you make space for the person you are becoming. You don’t owe anyone your energy, especially those who refuse to see beyond their own walls.
Therefore, try to surround yourself with those who inspire you — the ones who ask questions, who listen deeply, who dream wildly. The people who remind you that there is always more to learn, more to give, more to see. The people whose energy will water your spirit, not drain it.
Life is far too huge to be viewed through someone else’s narrow lens. Don’t let anyone convince you that their small world is all there is. Open the window, step outside and breathe in the fresh air of possibility. Everyone was born to see the world in colours — not in the dull shades of someone else’s fear.
One must keep growing, developing and exploring new horizons. Because the most beautiful thing you can ever become is exactly who narrow minds said you never could be. Just always remember to have in your circle people who open windows, not those who close doors. The world belongs to those who stay curious enough to see it fully.
Choosing to distance yourself from narrow-minded people doesn’t mean you hate them. It is not arrogance, but self-preservation. It simply means you value your peace more than conflict. It is about creating space for voices that uplift you, conversations that broaden your perspective and relationships that bring mutual respect.
Life is not meant to be lived in small rooms, and everyone is allowed to experience change, challenge and discovery. You grow when you question, when you listen, when you dare to believe that there is always more to learn. Open-mindedness is the courage to admit that you don’t know everything, and the wisdom to keep learning anyway.
Abdulaziz Al Jahdhami
The writer is author, translator and a communications professional
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