Interludes: Stretching for Flexibility

I don't know if you've been watching the Olympics this week, but if you haven't you're missing out on some of the most impressive displays of athleticism the world has to offer. From gymnastics and swimming to volleyball and rugby and everything in between, world-class athletes have gathered to show us what they can do. And one of the common traits that I've noticed most in these athletes is their flexibility.

Flexibility is an impressive skill to most of us, in my opinion. We see someone like Simone Biles able to twist and fold her body in half and simultaneously think "Ouch!" and "I wish I could do that!" But how often do we think about the investment she has made to get to reach such an elite level—the lifetime of training, incredible discipline, and hours upon hours of stretching?

The (unfortunate) truth of the matter is that few of us are blessed with a natural flexibility, and even those that are experience changes in that area as they age. In order for us to become physically flexible, we have to stretch and push the comfortable limits of our bodies to gain more mobility or retain the mobility we have. The same is true of the flexibility that manifests itself in our minds rather than our ligaments.

Mental flexibility helps us adapt to situations that challenge the somewhat rigid way we tend to see our lives and the future. When plans don't pan out how you thought they would, hopes fall through and goals aren't actualized, being mentally flexible helps us adapt to whatever is left. Even when things are going our way, it's flexibility that allows us to take new opportunities that we wouldn't have planned for ourselves.

Mental flexibility doesn't grow in the middle of a comfort zone. Just as a gymnast has to stretch her muscles to increase her physical flexibility, so we must be stretched out of our comfort zones to grow in mental flexibility.

The good part about this is that we can grow in flexibility. The "bad" (or at least daunting) part is that we have to get uncomfortable to do so. But as you are stretched and pulled beyond where you feel comfortable, you might begin to notice it's not as uncomfortable as it was at first and little by little your comfort zone grows bigger as you become more adaptable.

How quickly do we dismiss new opportunities in our lives as being wrong when perhaps they're just intimidating? What can be gained by opening ourselves up to take risks and face the possibility of failing? What do we miss out on when we deny ourselves the chance to grow in flexibility?

It's important at this point to clarify something in all of this: I am not advocating for recklessness. There is a distinct difference between the flexibility that allows us be able to step willingly into change and recklessness that does not consider the cost of its actions before diving into something. Our capacity for mental flexibility is not at odds with other helpful mental skills such as critical thinking and risk assessment. Rather, mental flexibility should complement those skills and help us get closer to a balance between rigidity and fluidity in how we think about our lives.

In the Bible, we find more support for this notion of mental flexibility and balance. James 4:13-15 reminds us that we "do not know what tomorrow will bring" and should thus hold our plans loosely. But we can have certainty in the face of this apparent uncertainty, knowing that "it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand" (Proverbs 19:21). We can comfortably live in a balance between making plans and letting go of those plans by understanding that God is the one in control.

Seeking to grow in our mental flexibility and adaptability is a challenging task—there's no way around it. But by stepping outside of our comfort zones we open ourselves up to a better way of living as we realize that even where we are uncomfortable, God is comfortable and He goes with us.