Why Flexibility is Important for Resilience and How to Become More Flexible.

“Resilience” has increasingly become the it-word, especially in recent years, with the world becoming more fast-paced and rigged with added challenges and stressors. When change is the only constant, flexibility turns into not only a mere skill but a survival mechanism, whether in business or on a personal level.

We hear and read how resilience—the ability to recover quickly following an injury, trauma or shock—is essential to subsist in today’s environment in all its aspects, but we don’t talk much about the essential factor that fosters it: flexibility.

Mental flexibility is the single most important aspect that allows adaptability in the face of adversity, crises and life’s ups and downs. When things don’t go as planned, flexibility allows us to adjust and use difficulty as an opportunity to make the right detours, while preserving our mental and physical wellbeing.

You might be asking yourself what could help you become more flexible. Well, here are few simple but impactful ways:

Self-assessment

In order to deal with a problem effectively we usually get to the root of it, right? Similarly, the first step to become more mentally flexible is to introspect and know more about yourself: your values, goals in life, behaviors, things that trigger your stress responses and how you cope with them. Exploring your mindset and thought patterns allows you to pinpoint where you may have a difficulty and address the issue in a more personalized way.

Be mindful of your thoughts and the words you use

Maintain an awareness of your thoughts and emotions, as well as the surrounding environment. Pay attention to when your most intrusive and negative thoughts occur and actively stop them by countering them or by realizing they are just momentary ones. The words we use have power and are capable of forming neural networks in our brains. The more we use certain words, the more we reinforce them and the thoughts they represent. Neurolinguistic programming is a revolutionary tool that can help you rewire your brain.

Practice daily gratitude

Countless studies have shown the immense benefits of gratitude on the brain. When you focus on your blessings and good fortunes, you train your mind to handle stressful situations in a systematic way by looking at problems as mere happenings, and to see solutions/opportunities in a clearer way.

Foster a “solution” mindset

Instilling a “solution system” by documenting your negative thoughts or issues to handle allows you to rationalize the situation you are facing. Document or write down the problem, the cause of it, what you can do to solve it and the outside influences you can’t control.

Support system

We are social beings, and interpersonal relationships are an integral part of our existence. Research has proven how a social support system can have a positive effect on our mental health and on the quality of our life. Surround yourself with trustworthy, honest and positive people who would also keep you in check. Learn how to build your communication skills as well as how to deal with the difficult and toxic people who might be present in your life.

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Make time for hobbies

Whether you like painting, exercise, cooking, writing, reading, jogging, mental board games, make time for the things you like and that spark interest and curiosity in your soul. These will recharge your energy, expand your mind and prevent mental burnout.

Need help building resilience and improving flexibility? Reach out with your request and we will be glad to communicate.

For building teams’ resilience at work, check our corporate program for resilience.