admin“Notice that the stiff tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.” Bruce Lee. These words of wisdom will form the basis of our conversation in this article, we will even go beyond talking about how great it is to be flexible, and we will share ways to become more flexible.
It is a well-known fact that life is packed with unpredictability and challenges. In fact in some seasons in life, we are forced to put a stop to what we are doing and completely change the gears up or down and in some instances, we have to change the direction we were going in.
Being able to be adaptable or malleable in life and in business, can take you much further along as you adjust flexibly to the ebbs and tides that life brings. At times, when life throws us a curve ball, in order not to buckle under the frustration, all you might need to do is adjust your attitude and discover ways to become more flexible in how you operate your business.
Go with the flow
One of the ways to become more flexible is to “go with the flow”. This means that instead of fighting against the current or instead of focusing and expending your energy on challenging stumbling blocks cast on your path, stop and consider how that obstacle can help you along the way if you look at it in a different light.
By simply switching your thinking or attitude, you can save your time and energy and use it more productively in alternative activities which will still make your business move forward. When you refuse to ‘go with the flow and choose to fight against a current, you can emerge worse off than if you had gone in the same direction as the current. To be successful in business, at times you have to look around you and see how far everyone else in business is moving with the current and make a decision to join them for a smooth flow.
Below are five tips to help you gird yourself with ways to become more flexible. When you implement these tips, you will be well on your way to developing a more flexible attitude and therefore better ways to go through life and cope in a positive way.
1. Embrace change
For you to progress in life, it’s necessary to embrace change. I’m not saying this lightly, because you have to muster up a lot of strength and courage. Change is inevitable and it ushers us into new experiences, however, when these new experiences are unknown – this usually results in feelings of unrest and uncertainty.
As one of the ways to become more flexible, we have to learn to embrace change and understand that change can be a good thing. After all, change means that life is not stagnant but is moving forward towards allowing you to experience different perspectives of your life or business.
2. Envision a new outcome
Another one of the ways to become more flexible is to open yourself up to new challenges and possibilities. When you go through life thinking and expecting everything to be predictable, when things change and the outcome you were expecting doesn’t show up, you can get derailed. However, if you imagine different scenarios or outcomes you will be better prepared for whatever life throws at you. When you open up your mind to new outcomes, you are better able to plan when those particular outcomes come to pass.
3. Enjoy the journey
Another aspect of developing a more flexible attitude is to look beyond the goal of getting through a check list of things to accomplish. Instead, one of the ways to become more flexible is to enjoy the ride that life is taking you on. Take time to stop and smell the roses, as the old adage goes.
When you are constantly fixated on achieving or getting something you may lose sight of who you are. Ultimately, one of the ways to become more flexible is to enjoy yourself on your way to reaching your goals. This will help you avoid burn out and can help with your wellbeing.
4. Explore different options
When you want to get to a goal, one of the ways to become more flexible is to try a different way of getting to your goal. Please note, I didn’t say, get distracted along the way, but, develop a flexible attitude. This will prove simpler if you practise flexibility in some choices that are important to you. Learn to think outside the box and better yet, step out of the box and develop a growth mindset which is open to exploring different options of doing things. When you dare to do something different and choose a different path or option, it can drive you to new possibilities and outcomes that you have been envisioning.
5. Emotionally Detach
The last of the ways to become more flexible that I will share in this article is to emotionally detach from a situation. This tip is especially helpful if you are looking through different options of doing things. It may become highly frustrating when trying to make a decision from a myriad of options but when you emotionally detach yourself you will be able to look at the different options in a more careful and objective way.
It’s a more productive choice when you act in response to difficulties or obstacles rather than reacting to them. Whenever a challenge rears its head, take time to think about how you will act instead of reacting impulsively and rashly.
Staying flexible in life can give you the impression that you are losing sight of your goals and values but that is not the case. Whenever you stay flexible, you are in a better position to react well and adapt to change more easily and you will be better off in life and in your business.
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