How to | Be More Curious-Minded

Having a mind that’s more open to new ideas and differing opinions to your own can have a positive effect on your wellbeing. Here are a few ways to open your mind a little more

Whether it’s our political leanings, religious beliefs, views on animal rights or vaccinations, most of us have strong opinions on what we consider right or wrong, important or not. And while it’s good to have your own views and live a life that’s true to your values, what are your feelings towards those who don’t have the same opinion? Would you listen and respect their viewpoint or be more inclined to disregard them because they’re not like you?

• To really understand someone else’s views, try repeating them as if they were your own and see what it feels like.

• Reflect on your own opinions and views – where did they originate? When you peel back the layers, what’s at the root?

• Practise looking at the world through the eyes of others. Try to imagine yourself physically in the other person’s position, looking at you. Or imagine someone looking at both of you. This makes it easier to step out of your own mental world and consider a different stance.

• Model kind, empathetic behaviour and you will encourage others to do so, too.

• Try not to group people. We all carry prejudices, often without realising – when you notice yourself doing it, pause and question your assumptions.

The extract above is from our feature ‘To Be Fair…’ by Rebecca Frank in our April issue. You can read more about how being curious-minded can improve your wellbeing from page 54.

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More ways to improve your wellbeing…

More from our April issue…

Recipe: Homemade crumpets

The most important thing when making crumpets is getting enough holes into them. Flat crumpets have nowhere for the butter to sink into! Make sure you beat the butter sufficiently, don’t overfill the rings with butter and cook them very slowly so that the bubbles have enough time to form and then pop.

Makes 12

70g strong white bread flour
70g plain white flour
1 sachet (7g) fast-action dried yeast 
1⁄2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp caster sugar
275l milk, warm (not hot)
1⁄4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
75–100ml warm water
Melted unsalted butter, for greasing 

Lots of salty butter, for spreading! 

Equipment

Cast-iron or good-quality heavy- based frying pan (or griddle)
At least 4 metal crumpet or egg rings or plain metal pastry cutters about 7.5cm in diameter
Heatproof pastry brush

Method

1 Mix together the flours, yeast and salt. Add the sugar and milk and beat until you have a smooth batter. Cover and leave to rise for 45 mins.

2 Combine the bicarbonate of soda with the warm water and mix it into the batter. Cover again and rest for 20 mins. 

3 Heat the pan, then butter it and sufficiently grease the insides of the rings or cutters with the pastry brush. Allow the rings to heat up in the pan, then fill each one with about 2cm batter. Don’t overfill them as the crumpets will take too long to cook and the holes won’t have time to form.

4 Wait. Be patient. Turn your crumpets over only once you can see holes starting to poke through the batter. Then lift away the rings and flip over the crumpets to continue cooking.

5 Brush the empty rings with more butter and ladle in more batter.

6 To keep the crumpets hot, lay them one by one in a large ‘envelope’ of tin foil and keep them in the oven on its lowest heat. Or butter them copiously and rush them out to your guests, piping hot. 

Recipe by Kerstin Rodgers from her book MsMarmiteLover’s Secret Tea Party (Random House, £20). Turn to page 24 of April's The Simple Things for the rest of her high tea menu, including recipes for: 

Rachael’s Secret Tea Room Muffins, Hobbit Seed Cake, Lemon, Almond and Pistachio Cake with Lemon Cream Frosting, Homemade Nutella, and Cupcakes baked in a cup.

 April's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe today.

Curious: April cover reveal

The circus has come to town. Let the show begin! Top of the bill is Easter: bake a pie and rabbit  biscuits. Put on a record, hang the Alice in Wonderland bunting and throw a tea party. For the grand finale, take a walk, be curious. There are primroses, and is that a bird of prey high in the sky? Feel the sun on your face, play cards around a campfire and potter peacefully in your shed. That's slow business. That's The Simple Things.

April's The Simple Things is out today - buy, download or subscribe now.