When Flexibility Becomes the Bond That Unites Us

When I came to live in Colombia, I began learning one of life's most valuable lessons: flexibility. It means being willing to compromise for the sake of better relationships, listening to others, questioning old paradigms and sometimes changing the way we deal with reality.

Over the years, while observing a country often marked by polarization, I noticed something that, at least to me, seemed to hold people together: their natural flexibility. It is not a perfect solution, but it often becomes the bridge that allows people to move forward despite their differences.

For instance, I have a good friend who is really at one of the extremes in terms of ideology, and yet she was open to have a spiritual meditation with someone who is in the other extreme… It is not only functional; they really appreciated each other.

So, sharing from my own observations and experience, here are a few thoughts:

• Being flexible does not mean being permissive. It means knowing your priorities while making room for others.
• Your flexibility will not always be matched by others, but it is often the first step toward understanding and agreement.
• Every negotiation involves giving up something. The key is to let go of what matters least so you can preserve what matters most.
• Flexibility is, in many ways, the art of negotiating your way through life. Let others go first when you can and you will often find they do the same for you when your turn comes.

We all face challenges, and each of us is doing our best to overcome them. Perhaps one of the simplest ways to improve our relationships - and sometimes our lives - is to become just a little more flexible.