Diving For Pearls: Cultural Kaleidoscope

I was just speaking to my younger brother about life as a first-time dad and how absolutely obsessed he is with his daughter (my goddaughter) Layla. The overwhelming love he has for her and the fierce desire to provide her with the most supportive environment to grow and flourish in, is so important for him – as it is for any parent.

We spoke for hours as our conversation weaved from one topic to the other, until we landed on the age-old debate on how much of our personalities and traits are based on nature and nurture.  My calling as a coach was born out of my absolute fascination about the human mind and what makes us ‘tick’ as individuals; so I’m like a ‘pig in mud’ when these conversations present themselves.

Studies have shown that we are all born with our own unique temperament which is made up of innate traits that are unconscious and instinctual, but the impact our environment and nurture has on our personalities and behaviour has a profound effect on the individuals we grow up to be and how we approach life.

I’ve always said that one of the things I’m most grateful for, is the incredibly diverse upbringing I’ve had. I was born in Iran, spent my childhood in Korea, call Australia home and ended up living in the UAE via a short stint in the UK. I can’t even begin to explain or measure the value of having,  not only been exposed to but truly immersed in so many different cultures. As great as my education was, it doesn’t compare to being educated by the world around you. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not undermining or belittling the importance of our education system, all I’m saying is that the world is a powerful teacher. 

The gift of being immersed in so many cultures from the Middle East to Asia as well as the Western World, is that I can easily relate and connect to others, but it also means that I am able to approach my life with an open and curious mind. What’s absolutely powerful here is the ability to explore different perspectives on any given topic, dilemma, decision, or idea as we all do our best to manoeuvre this thing called life!  

Every day we are faced with choices in our lives, the more open our mind, the more perspectives we can explore; the greater the perspectives, the stronger and more conscious our choices become. The age old saying ‘the world is your oyster’ really rings true here when you think about it. The more open we can make our minds, the more we can get out of life.

Whether you are a parent wanting to give your child the best spring board to life, or you just want to live your best life, take the time to expand your mind and learn from all the beautiful cultures the world has to offer and harness yourself with the ability to explore different perspectives and make powerful and conscious choices in your life.

So take the time to read books about culture, visit museums and indulge your senses, soak in a thought-provoking documentary about or civilization, explore the cultural diversity in your community or better yet, jump on a plane and fly off to a country and culture you’ve always been curious about .

Soak in the cultural kaleidoscope and expand your horizons.