Learning to Bend, Not Break

Bamboo is one of nature’s strongest materials. Even as a part of the grass family, its strength rivals, and at times outranks, many man-made materials, including mild steel. One of bamboo’s unique properties is its flexibility. Bamboo can bend in the wind, absorb heavy shockwaves, like from an earthquake, and still it does not snap. A Japanese proverb tells us, “Be like bamboo. It bends but does not break; it is flexible yet firmly rooted.”

With trials to face and obstacles to overcome, the pressure we experience in life can feel heavy. We are being pushed and pulled in so many directions that the only way to ensure we don’t break under that pressure is to learn how to bend with our circumstances instead of fighting against them. Standing strong does not mean that we will not sway. We can remain firmly rooted in our values, our goals, and our work while learning how to adapt to whatever comes our way.

Building this resilience requires a sense of self-awareness. We need to understand our current mindset in order to shift it and adapt to new circumstances. Knowing the stressors that affect us the most, along with learning effective coping strategies, allows us to better navigate any challenges or setbacks we may face. While we cannot avoid stressors altogether, we can choose how we respond to them. We can choose the story that we tell ourselves.

Avoiding the hard things, resisting change, or handing the work off to someone else won’t help us grow. We need to be challenged in order to be transformed. We strengthen both our bodies and our minds by facing difficult things and learning from them when we come out on the other side. We build resilience by learning how to bend, not break. So be like bamboo, stay firmly rooted in your purpose, but choose to be flexible when challenges arise.

-Meghan Slaughter