Are digital nomads more open-minded?

Are digital nomads more open-minded? We certainly think so. Read on to find out how the digital nomad lifestyle contributes to open-mindedness and happiness as a whole.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.”

Mark Twain

The American novelist Mark Twain famously claimed that travel is the best remedy for narrow-mindedness.

After visiting the Middle East for the first time, Twain found his mind changed by the people he met on his travels. 

If you’ve ever traveled or lived abroad, this is an experience you’ll likely relate to. 

Any preconceptions you have about a place melt away once you get to know the people there. And the more you travel, the more you understand that people think differently than you do. 

This understanding helps you become more tolerant of others while allowing you to appreciate the things that make us similar as well as those that make us different.

Are digital nomads more open-minded? Let’s take a look…

Like the bird with many nests, the digital nomad has no one place they call home. 

We have chosen careers that allow us to move freely while avoiding becoming stuck in an uninspiring daily routine. 

Here are some of the ways that we believe digital nomads and travelpreneurs are more open-minded. 

We’re constantly reaching out of our comfort zone

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

By definition, our “comfort zone” is the psychological place where we feel safe and comfortable. It’s defined by our day-to-day routine and helps us avoid stress and anxiety.

Creating a comfort zone is a healthy adaptation. But reaching out of our comfort zone is what helps us grow and deal with life’s natural transitions.

As digital nomads, we’re constantly reaching for the unknown. We thrive off new opportunities to connect with other people and embrace new cultures.

When we made the decision to become digital nomads, we stepped outside our bubble and vowed to make the world our home. 

We are constantly adapting to the world around us. And when changes happen that are outside our everchanging comfort zone, we don’t fight it. We let life’s transitions shape us. And our lives are richer because of it. 

We love immersing ourselves in new cultures

“If you don’t like a place, maybe you don’t know enough about it… Give a culture the benefit of your open mind.”

Rick Steves

One of the most rewarding aspects of life as a digital nomad is that we get to discover new cultures. It’s what excites us most.

When we make another country our temporary home, we don’t run around like tourists, ticking off every attraction so we can take a photo and move on.

We take time to learn the intricacies of the local community – what makes people smile, what makes them tick. 

Stepping into a new culture and embracing its differences requires us to practice open-mindedness. It’s a mindset that we actively embrace when we arrive somewhere new. And we find so much joy as a result.

We communicate with people from all over the world

“Open-minded people do not impose their beliefs on others. They accept that we all have a different perspective on life, and do their own thing in peace without judgment.”

Steven Aitchison

The most powerful way to increase tolerance and abandon prejudice is through experience.

After all, it’s one thing to read about other cultures and religions, but it is another thing altogether to have dinner with an Indonesian family on the final day of Ramadam.

By coming into direct contact with people that have an entirely different perspective of life, life becomes less about getting people to agree with your own belief systems. And more about discovering what you can learn by listening to others.

We slow down

“A mind that is stretched by new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”

Oliver Wendall Homes 

In the digital age, it’s too easy to find ourselves running around collecting new information, new ideas, and new likes on Instagram.

One of the benefits of being a digital nomad is that we have the option to slow down.

We get to spend more than a week or two in one location before returning to the office. Meaning when we arrive somewhere new, we don’t feel the pressure to see and do as much as possible in a small space of time.

We get to focus on one thing at a time, and soak in as much as we can before moving on to our next location.

Slowing down is a key practice when it comes to actively opening your mind. 

Even though we can’t slow down all the time, it’s still important to us that we take time to reflect on what we’ve gained and how we’ve grown.

Do you think digital nomads are more open-minded? 

Do you agree that digital nomads are more open-minded? 

We’d love to get your thoughts on the topic.

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