5 Reasons Why Flexibility is Indispensable

My wife, my six-month-old son, and I started getting ready to go on a much-needed beach vacation after being cooped up in my house for six months, save for a few random visits to my grandfather's house to break up the monotony.

Note: This article is by Scott Bedgood, who talks about the importance of being resilient in tough times and crises.

We discussed and researched many trip options during the summer, and we wanted to visit Colorado to escape the scorching Texas summers. However, given how difficult traveling is—especially with an infant—we decided against it. Eventually, we decided to spend the vacation at Galveston's beach after searching for a location closer to home.

Though it might not be the most picturesque beach on earth, it is the closest to us in Dallas and would provide us with a wonderful excuse to travel. My wife's parents would also go with us to assist with child care.

We were so excited that words could not express our feelings. Our plans for the first half of our son's first year were completely thrown off when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. We were finally going to take him somewhere new.

Then came Hurricane Laura, and a few days before our coastal drive plans, the storm's path shifted to target our destination directly. Fortunately, the hurricane avoided the more populous areas of Houston and did not seriously affect Galveston.

However, we did not know that at the time, so we had to decide to cancel our trip. At that point, it was simple to become angry, get your money back from the travel agency, and try again later.

However, if there's one thing we've learned in 2020, it's how to handle catastrophes calmly and wisely. We promptly changed our plans and booked a fantastic hotel with that in mind. I was happy that we had managed to weather the storm since good fortune was on our side and we enjoyed a wonderful weekend vacation with the family.

During that challenging year when everything didn't go as planned, flexibility emerged as a crucial quality to have.

5 Reasons highlighting how crucial it is to adopt an adaptable mindset

1. Unmet Expectations Lead to Disappointment

2020 taught us all that we cannot predict the future. Consider March and April. How much did the cancellation of major events affect you personally? Examples of such events include the basketball championship, cultural conferences and seminars, numerous festivals and holidays, and even weddings. We had never encountered these conditions before in our lives, so the pain was severe.

It is important to schedule the next event now and prepare for the possibility that it will be canceled or altered somehow. This will help you avoid experiencing the same level of pain as you did earlier in the year because your expectations have changed, and you have learned to be flexible with your plans, even though you had to learn this lesson the hard way.

Even in ordinary circumstances, plans can change, so avoid placing all of your hopes and dreams in something that can be impacted by uncontrollable events.

2. You Never Know What You're Missing

For some people, spontaneity comes naturally; for others, it doesn't. In a year like this, spontaneity is a skill we can all use. Sometimes, the most fun plans are the spontaneous ones, but how would you know that if you didn't know what would happen?

We went to New Braunfels instead of the beach that weekend. Exploring the area was a lot of fun because I had only been there a few times. My family would not have had a wonderful time if we had given up when our initial plans were canceled. Furthermore, at this point, we can recall the amazing weekend we had and anticipate our first family beach vacation in the future.

Vacations often happen this way. The best memories are frequently created when something goes wrong, you get lost, or your plans change, and you must improvise. This applies to life, too. While it's wise to plan ahead for major decisions, simple ones, like where to eat or what to do on a lovely last-minute vacation, should be made with some flexibility. I can assure you that you will have an unforgettable day.

3. Attitude Changes Everything

Even though things don't always go as planned, you don't have to spend your entire life feeling disappointed. All you have to do is adjust your attitude. Rather than viewing each setback as just another cause for hopelessness and pessimism, you can view it as an opportunity to try something different.

Sometimes, the altered plans will turn out differently than you had hoped. For example, you may have to cancel your large wedding with friends and family in favor of a smaller ceremony that you must announce to your larger family.

Seek out the positives instead of dwelling on the negatives, which will only make you feel hopeless and pessimistic. Remind yourself that you have finally married the person you love and that they are supporting you during this trying time. Having an optimistic attitude will help you get through difficult times.

4. Everyone Loves a Problem-Solver

Nobody ever says, “I wish someone else was complaining,” when faced with a difficult situation. Being negative is not helpful, constructive, or healthy. Taking a step back to assess your options and circumstances is what benefits you.

Have you ever found a solution to a problem by complaining? Have you ever felt good about your time feeling sorry for yourself? While it's acceptable to feel depressed or angry, letting these emotions control you will have negative effects. Therefore, start planning your next steps as soon as possible instead of wallowing in self-pity.

Being flexible means you’re willing to adapt to situations and make changes to find solutions. Consider the businesses and restaurants that quickly adapted to the pandemic. They were left with two options: either get creative and resourceful or close. Approach your issues from the same perspective.

5. You Can’t Predict the Future

The way you handle misfortunes is very important. Being unable to control your emotions when something unexpected happens can escalate a difficult situation. However, being flexible can help life become easier and more manageable.

While it's smart to keep up with things like the economy and the weather, you must also remember that these factors are out of your control. While you cannot stop the rain or change the market, you can safeguard your company's assets and plan an alternate plan for your outdoor activities if the weather changes. So, stop worrying.

How many times in your life has everything gone according to plan? Have you achieved all of your goals? Most likely not, but that doesn't mean your life was terrible. It's possible that you were content despite your plan's failure, so try not to waste time worrying about uncontrollable things.

Nobody liked the difficult circumstances we all had to endure during this trying year, but those who can rise above them will succeed and be equipped to handle any overwhelming situation we may come across in the future.