As the saying goes, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Life often presents us with the unexpected, and we need to be flexible enough to adapt. It is great to have goals and direction, but so often we encounter something that makes us take pause. We can either adjust and adapt, or stay stuck. If you are flexible, you can think of any given “roadblock” as an opportunity. Being flexible provides us the ability to incorporate the path we are on and embrace whatever life throws at us.
That doesn’t mean you should not have goals or that you don’t need to have determination. Being flexible is to consider the unforeseen as an opportunity. Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t. But unless we allow the possibility, we let countless opportunities pass by us, or even worse, render us stuck in place.
As an example, when I started college, I wanted to be an attorney. But after my parents’ divorce my senior year, I realized I wanted to help others during challenging life experiences. I adapted my career goals, using what life had placed before me.
Being flexible can also be helpful in smaller areas of life. You want chicken for dinner, but only have pork in the freezer. You want to wear black pants, but only blue are clean. The road you take to work is closed for construction, so you need to travel a different route. While these examples may be frustrating, if you are flexible in your outlook, they will take up only a moment of thought before you adapt to what is available.
Life is full of obstacles in our way, be flexible and make lemonade!
May your path take you in the direction of your goals but may you be flexible enough to seek opportunities when obstacles are encountered!