Tag: rigid

Resilience is about flexibility

Posted on by philipdodson

Building a habit is hard if the rules are so strict and so rigid that there is no room for a slip.

We make the rules for our own life inside our head. We are the ones who make ourselves feel guilty or useless for not doing something. We are the ones who decide.

If we are following a particular diet, or workout, or productivity routine, then we are the ones who set the rules and if we break them, we are the ones who choose to punish ourselves or not.

The thing is, whatever you do in life, there are no rules if you decide, other than the ones we impose upon ourselves. So if we have been doing something every single day for months and then we forget one day, it simply doesn’t matter unless we make it so.

The reality is, it is easier to build and maintain a habit for life if we allow ourselves the odd slip without the need to punish or feel bad. If there is only rigidity in anything, then it breaks, it becomes negative and resistance builds.

Resilience is about flexibility, being able to bend gives us the ability to spring back from a slip or setback. It is positive as we feel we can bend, there is no pressure.

Rigidity

Posted on by philipdodson

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We are taught that rigidity is a good thing, especially if you have a building or structure that you don’t want to come crashing down.

We need to follow the curriculum rigidly if we are to get results. There needs to be rigidity in our diet, we need to follow the plan.

We have to be strict.

Daily rituals, habits and all the things that build momentum are good, we have to take the small regular steps. We have to be able to focus and be disciplined.

But they do not have to rigid.

Tall buildings for example, without flexibility, would tumble to the ground in high winds, as wood the less flexible trees.

Sometimes we just have to say ‘what the f…’ and just let our hair down, have that glass of champagne, eat something that we really want to, stay up til the early hours, party, and just have fun.

We have to break rules and challenge things, no one wants anarchy, but rigidity is equally as bad.

If we are always rigid with ourselves then life becomes dull. If we are always rigid as a society, it becomes bland and complaint.

Flexibility is what makes life special.