Call Me Gumby: Thoughts on Flexibility

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I must confess that I have often been described as a “control freak.”  Lately I have been running a grand experiment, attempting to become a more flexible version of myself.  The results have been amusing.

Interesting things happen when I relinquish control.  And some of them are pretty dang cool!  It’s kind of like the song lyric: “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”

Sometimes I believe that because I’m highly organized, I know how to plan things.  But recently some of my most rewarding insights and experiences have arrived decidedly in the form of PLAN B, or even C.

I’m the kind who likes to plan my spontaneity, ya know? J  But these days I’m getting more credit for “rolling with it” and being flexible.  Few things actually run according to plan anyway, so why not relax?

I used to think that staying “on task” was the goal.  Now I’m thinking that flexibility is a better goal, primarily because it is easier and yields better results.  Go figure.

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Maybe there is value in the idea of getting out of your own way.  After all, there isn’t much certainty in life, and people (and their values, motivations, and dreams) frequently change over time.

With the holidays upon us, I’m hoping that I can let go of my expectations and just roll with whatever happens next.  For me, Christmas is rarely a series of Norman Rockwell portraits anyway.  Perfection is certainly out of reach, so I’m trying to just embrace the good moments, and to cope with the not so good.  With a less rigid outlook, I'm finding that a lot easier.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about being flexible versus sticking with your plans.  Feel free to leave a comment.

Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com