Strength In Flexibility
Strength is more often mistaken for stiffness, but the true strength actually lies in knowing when to bend and adapt. You do not show strength by being rigid, forceful and unshakable, but by being dynamic. A lot of people erroneously think that the strongest people are those who never yield, who never show emotions, and who never change, but in reality, strength lies in flexibility and in dynamism. That is, your ability to adapt, adjust, pivot, let go of the old ways, change, and adop now methods - this is where the true power lies. Being able to bend without breaking shows unequalled strength.
You can show strength in flexibility in your everyday life. For example, in your place of work, you may have been doing a task in a way and all of a sudden, a new method may be introduced. Instead of holding on to the former method so rigidly, and clinging to the routines tightly, you need to be flexible to welcome the new approach and be receptive to changes. The change may not be convenient, especially when you have become used to the old ways, but if you want a change of result, then you have to effect a change in approach. More so, that something has been going in a particular way does not mean that it will continue in that way.
It is worthy to note that flexibility does not indicate weakness in anyway. Trust me, it actually takes a considerable amount of inner strength to be able to shift your mindset from "what used to be" to "what ought to be." This is the kind of strength that will make one to bounce back and try again even after they had failed at an attempt. As a business person or an entrepreneur for example, you may have tried out a strategy for you business and it seems not to have worked, you do not need to ditch the entire business, rather you can try out some more strategies - welcome new methods, embrace changes, try new ideas, and keep moving.
I once read about the biography of a renowned TV presenter; Oprah Winfrey. She started from a very poor background, and faced many rejections and abuse as she was growing up. She was even told that she was unfit for TV, yet she did not allow any of these to define who she would become. She learnt how to adapt and grow, then she was able to carve a space for herself and created a pathway for herself. She employed flexibility in the pursuit of her passion and was able to adjust to challenges. She rose to become among the top women of influence in the world. From her story, I realised that her strength did not come from fighting changes, but in welcoming and adjusting to them.
There are some lessons that I have learnt from nature that can be applied in real life scenarios. For example, bamboo is seen as one of the most resilient and strongest plants; but this is not because it stands too stiff, but because it is flexible and can bend. Even when a strong wind comes that would have uprooted other plants, the bamboo would simply bend with the wind and would survive the storm. Similarly in life, the people who can bend and adjust mentally, emotionally, and physically can pass through some of the toughest situations without breaking or cracking.
Even in your interactions and relationships with people, and in your everyday life, it is always important to employ flexibility - at home, in your place of work, etc. You do not have to always be rigid. For example at home, you must not always prove to be right, or try to have your way always, you need to be flexible. You can even employ positive compromise in some cases to solve a problem that rigidity cannot solve. To be flexible, you have to learn to let go of the mentality that always makes you want to be in control at all times. Then be open to welcome new idea, changes, trends, etc. Know when to let go, realign your mind, ask for help when you need it, accept when you are wrong. All these are part of being flexible, and can show strength and maturity.
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