A message from Sandy. Flexibility is a skill—Do you have it? Do you want it? How do you get it? All good questions. Learning to be flexible is a skill that allows us to “go around” when we can’t “go through.” The idea of bending to anyone or anything is not always appealing. It may appear to be a path of weakness, or maybe our pride is interfering. Being flexible can be a test of our creativity and allows an opportunity to let go of some of our own self- importance. 

Does bending to other forces seem “wishy-washy?” Where others stand rigid and break, you have a chance to be supple and bounce back. Accept things the way they are:

• Wishing and hoping for something to be different only wastes energy, taking away from what you hope to accomplish.
• Acceptance is tied to the knowledge that you control very little, and that you won’t waste time on things you cannot control.
• Try to only spend thoughts and actions on things you can influence. Knowing what to spend time on will greatly increase your chances of finding success in the life that you seek.
• Reminding yourself of the way things actually are will give you a starting point to start taking creative action against the obstacle that has appeared in your path.
• Accepting things as they are is the only way to change them.

Use your creativity: Remember every individual is a creative being, by nature human beings are problem solvers. Being flexible is the ultimate exercise in creativity—it actually involves daring to imagine other possibilities and taking action towards them. If you are faced with an obstacle, you have the option to go through it, over it, under it, around it, or any other way you can think of. Focus on the solutions rather than the problem.

Always expect change: Be prepared to see change as the rule  and stability as the exception you will then be better prepared to use your flexibility skills. Change can occur constantly and rapidly. Be ready to jump into action! “It is far better to bend that to break.”——Aesop

What has your experience been—-strength or flexibility? How do you determine when to bend and when to stand firm?