They say that the best way to become “well-rounded” is to have exposure to diversity. But how exactly does one find this “diversity”? Technically speaking, this idea is a bit tricky being that our entire lives are built around finding commonalities and traits about other people that we, in turn, like ourselves. Looking at it, your circle of friends is a direct reflection of you—your interests, your hobbies, likes, dislikes—they just physically exist in different body shapes, sizes, height, weight, etc. you get the gist.
But now with this realization in mind, it’s hard to make friendships outside your circle that you believe are worth seeking. Trust may be a factor, comfortability, fear even, and initially, why would anyone want to hang around with someone who has and supports different political views than those of your own, has a crazy fashion sense, enjoys the kinds of food you could never imagine eating, listens to music you find distasteful? The list goes on. Well, let me be the one to tell you that making friends with people who are much or even just a little different than you, will help you grow individually as a person.
That is, exposing yourself to people outside the bubble of interests, likes, dislikes, of your own, allows to gain perspective. In this process of meeting diverse groups of people, you, in turn, become diverse as well (hence, well-rounded!). Moreover, handpicking personal traits from those you meet outside of your circle by translating and incorporating them to aid in your interests, makes you a way better version of yourself whether you are aware of this change or not.
For instance, let’s say you bump into someone on the street who is completely covered in tattoos—head to toe. Sure, to most this person’s physical appearance is not the most welcoming, but when you let your guard down, you might realize that their ink is a direct reflection of their appreciation for art that you may just happen to have as well. Realizing and gaining this perspective has the ability to transform the way that you view others and the world in a positive way that affects you. Surrounding yourself with people who are different than you, challenges you. They challenge your thinking, your patience, your focus, and as a result, you become a more “well-rounded” person than you were when you started.
And I am by no means trying to say that you should just completely dump the circle of friends that you have right now and start completely from scratch (unless for some reason they are negative influences that withhold you from growth). For obvious reasons, the goal here is to keep the friends you chose and to make even more friends who will benefit you in every angle of your needs and wants. However, try your best to take the chance and venture outside of your comfort zone, and take this selection process into consideration the next time you are out and about. Avoid being quick to judge a new face, and don’t let the fear of the unknown—friendship, relationship, situationship—keep you from rounding out those edges! Becoming the best version of yourself is a continuous hunt and work-in-progress!
Finally, believe that everyone you meet brings something to the table, so spend a little extra time picking and choosing quality friendships. Add to your social group of friendships (if you believe that needs work), or your anti-social group, or your baking group, or your art group. And start a Netflix group, a travel group, a workout group, etc. if you don’t have one already. There are 7 billion people on this Earth—that’s 7 billion chances to expand your circle of friends and your perspective. Ultimately, if whoever you meet doesn’t vibe well enough to become a potential friend in your circle, or if they just seem like someone who wouldn’t assist you in your growth as a person, then keep searching! Keep in mind that every encounter and experience you have through these meetings is valuable in some ways more than others. Know that taking the time to work on yourself and every other aspect of your life is never a waste of time. Keep up the amazing work and good luck on the rest of your exploration!