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- Our strength is in our flexibility
- Increasing flexibility requires will, skill, and trust
- You’ll be stronger, even if you might be a little sore, a little uncomfortable …
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… but isn’t that the idea?
There are obvious parallels between physical and psychological flexibility. These aspects of our lives are governed by the same laws. Mastery over one will allow you to easily master the other.
Increasing your flexibility in either domain requires equal parts will, skill and trust. As you reach the outer limits of either mental ease or tissue integrity, you experience a peculiar sensation of insecurity. This position is uncomfortable. But isn’t that the idea?
Flexibility is under-rated. People spend too much time in the Comfort Zone. The human animal thrives on stress, adaptation and repair cycles. Our day is comprised of a complex system of challenges, communications and interactions. For the most part, we get to choose the degree to which we engage life. Each day presents with a myriad of opportunities to get stretched. Look for them.
If you pay attention, you can feel individual fibers exploring new ranges of motion. This is true for the body and the mind. When you choose to move from the Comfort Zone to the Stretch Zone mentally or physically, you form new synapses that help you cope more effectively in the future. There is a plastic effect that will expand your capacities as long as you continue to draw on them. What you feel is the expansion of your scope.
If the heat in the kitchen goes up, you’ll find yourself at the next level: the Stress Zone. It’s where big dogs play, things hit the fan and rubber meets the road.
There are two truths regarding the Stress Zone:
- It’s a nice place to visit, but you don’t want to live there.
- It’s where growth happens.
Beyond this point, at the center of these concentric rings, is the no-go zone: the Break-Down Zone. Our brains and spirits are a lot like our joints – under constant duress and strain, they break down, whereas if they are underutilized, they decay and become arthritic. Everyone spends some time in the breakdown lane at some point in their life, but those who invest the time to learn how to change a tire get “back on their way” much faster.
If our strength is in our flexibility, how do you know when to say ‘when’?