The Adaptable Head

https://hive.blog/hive-161155/@daily.prompt/14-february-2025-mariannewests-freewrite-writing-prompt-day-2647-flexible-head

Have you ever felt like a stiff robot? Well, that's what I often experienced before I knew the concept of a "flexible head". No, it's not about the ability to rotate my head 360 degrees like an owl!

As someone who used to be known for being stubborn (my friends even nicknamed me "The Rock"), I really had to struggle to change my mindset. Just imagine, I used to argue about the best way to peel a banana - which turned out that monkeys were smarter than me because they peeled it from the bottom!

A flexible head is the ability to see different perspectives and adapt to new situations. It's like having an antenna that can move in all directions, picking up different signals from the surrounding environment. When we are flexible in our thinking, it becomes easier for us to:

1. Accept new ideas
2. Listen to different opinions
3. Find creative solutions
4. Adapt to change

The funniest experience that made me realize the importance of a flexible head was when I insisted on using GPS even though my cellphone battery was only 5%. "I know the right way!" I said confidently. Guess what happened? Yup, I got lost in an area where even Google Maps was confused, and my phone was completely dead. If only I had listened to my friend's advice to stop at the nearest gas station and ask a local, I might not have spent 2 hours wandering around like a dazed person.

From then on, I started to learn to be more flexible in my thinking. It turns out, having a flexible head doesn't mean we don't have a stand. On the contrary, it's about being smart enough to choose which battles to fight and which ones to just walk away with a smile.

Now, whenever I start to feel self-righteous, I always remember my grandmother's wise words: "A head that is stiff like a rock will break when it falls, but a head that is flexible like a bamboo will swing with the wind." (Okay, my grandmother never actually said this, but doesn't it sound very wise?) 🙃

So, start training your "flexible head." Who knows, with a more flexible mind, we might find a new way to enjoy life - or at least a new way to peel a banana! 😃