Flexing

Flexing, in both our personal and work relationships, can help us maintain vibrant relationships, achieve our goals, and be happier in the process.

When we learn to read others, and adapt our behavior/thinking in a way that opens channels of communication and deeper understanding, we have effectively "flexed" to those others.  Flexing to others keeps the possibility of productive engagement, solution crafting, and resolution open to us.

Conversely, when we harden ourselves against others, against the forces (physical, intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that push against us, we begin closing many doors of rich possibility.

The way trees bend and sway in strong winds is an excellent analogy for the skill of flexing.  In extremely strong storms trees can sometimes bend all the way to the ground without breaking as they flex to the buffeting forces.  While they flex to the powerful forces that press upon them, they not only get stronger, they also keep themselves viable.

We can do that, too.  When we learn to flex to others, we make ourselves more adaptable, more resilient, more collaborative, more open, and more tolerant.  That's a pretty nice list of attributes.