Time to keep an open mind

I seem to be closing off my mind to any other ideas other than my own. It is scary to think that it resembles the way my Dad acts towards any other thought or opinion that differs from his own. You would think that after years of life expericence, I would have learned that I am not in control of how others think or act. For some reason, I refuse to believe that fact. I have been stubborn in thinking that everyone else should think as I do. It gets to the point where I refuse to understand someone else's situation and point of view. I suppose it is natural, as most humans are naturally selfish. There also comes a point where one's selfish ambitions become foolish and absurd. Luckily, I have realized that I have gone into the path of the foolish type of selfishness. I am able to put a stop to it before it becomes absurd.
One of the most difficult things to do in life is accept and respect other people and their opinions. Everyone has their own objectives, hopes and dreams. We all have different paths we must take in order to accomplish these goals. The beauty of this world, is that you are not alone. One thing I have come to realize is that I need to keep an open mind when others speak. There is a reason behind every decision that is made. An explanation to anyone's thought or opinion. A lot of it has to do with trust and faith.I am not speaking about the faith in which there is a God. I am speaking of a faith in which I trust that my decisions along with the decisions that others around me make will lead down to the path of happiness.
Trouble is, I have not had much trust or faith in myself. If you cannot have trust or faith in yourself, it will be very hard to have faith in others no matter how you look at it. It will take a lot of will and determination to change my perception on others opinions and thoughts. Keeping an open mind will help along the way. There is nothing I need to prove to myself. All I need to do is start trusting the decisions that I make. The doubt that I have within myself needs to dwindle. Only once I start trusting myself and believing in myself, will I be able to believe and trust in others.