Hi Anindya,  I find it really difficult to deal with anything new. From sticking to the same models and colors of clothes, to never changing my hairstyle. I also prefer taking the same familiar route rather than trying a possibly shorter one when I go to the office. It’s really tough, even though my close friends or parents give advice, I still find it hard to accept or try new things. How can I overcome being so rigid? Can I be considered inflexible?
(Liza, 26 years old, employee)

Thinking flexibly is an important part of mental health. This condition can contribute to personal success as well as our relationships with others.

Hi Liza, thinking flexibly is an important part of mental health. This condition can contribute to personal success as well as our relationships with others. Stiffness often occurs due to our lack of understanding about flexibility. So, what exactly is flexible thinking? Let’s take a look:

If you’re a flexible thinker, you’ll consider various possible outcomes of your actions rather than just focusing on optimistic or pessimistic views. Flexible thinkers also take into account both optimistic and pessimistic explanations for situations and other people’s conditions. Someone truly flexible can even adjust their general tendency to be positive or negative based on what’s most helpful in a given situation. For example, if you need to motivate yourself, you might find it helpful to imagine optimistic outcomes first.

Flexible thinkers also take into account both optimistic and pessimistic explanations for situations and other people’s conditions.

It’s also important not to assume that the way you see things is the same way others see them. Recognizing that others perceive situations differently can prevent us from making inaccurate conclusions and from easily judging ourselves and others. A flexible person also acknowledges that a belief may not apply universally in every situation.

A flexible individual can see various possibilities and explanations that contribute to both good and bad behavior. The same goes for evaluating our own behavior. For instance, are you eating constantly because of a lack of self-control or simply because you’re extremely hungry since you haven’t eaten since morning?

A flexible person also acknowledges that a belief may not apply universally in every situation.

A flexible person doesn’t assume that what they feel now represents their current emotional state. For instance, when you feel intimidated trying to understand your thoughts about your relationship with your partner, but deep down you know you might understand your situation better over time as you gain more experience. You can also consider your long-term and short-term goals in that situation.

It’s also important to understand that feeling unsure about something doesn’t always mean it’s a bad sign. Feeling confident about something doesn’t always mean you’re right either. A flexible person understands this. Perhaps you can also explore how to understand your own intuition.

It’s also important to understand that feeling unsure about something doesn’t always mean it’s a bad sign. Feeling confident about something doesn’t always mean you’re right either. A flexible person understands this.

So, by trying to understand how someone with flexible thinking operates, you might gain insight into the stiffness in your current way of thinking. I hope this helps. If you still have questions, feel free to reach out.