Adaptation is movement, change and above all flexibility. The art of adapting to change does not necessarily have to translate into trauma, extraordinary benefits can be obtained.
Written and verified by the psychologist GetPersonalGrowth.
Last update: 15 November 2021
"Adapt or die". Many of us have grown up with this mantra, with the idea that in the face of the challenges of the surrounding environment we must react strongly and that that reaction, that movement, is almost always painful. Otherwise we would be left behind, relegated, almost condemned to involution. But… is this really so? What exactly is adaptability?
Let's face it, in this historical period nothing is as decisive as adapting to the changes we are experiencing, to uncertainty, to variability. We are practically forced to face these realities, and the lack of certainty makes us feel restless. This feeling is not accidental: the brain does not like changes, as any variation in the surrounding environment is perceived as a threat.
Even so, life is a constant change. As Heraclitus once said, "No man ever enters the same river twice, because the river is never the same, and he is not the same man." Knowing how to adapt to that constant flow is the secret to health and well-being.
This explains why in recent years, in the field of psychology, particular interest has been placed on the adaptability of the human being. We analyze it in detail.
What is the ability to adapt?
Charles Darwin argued that only those who are best suited to change survive. Somehow, we have long internalized this classic idea. In fact, survival is a minor issue these days.
Many people "stay alive" despite being inflexible; many manage to go on even though they adopt a rigid and inflexible psychological perspective. Today no one dies for not having adapted to the needs of the surrounding world, but not doing so causes suffering and a greater risk of suffering from depressive and anxiety disorders.
This is because maladjustment hurts, as those who refuse to change feel frustration and anger because reality does not correspond to their desires.
But this concept does not apply only to the human being. The companies and the society we live in know that to grow you need to invest in three dimensions: learnability, adaptability (liquidity) and mobility (mobility). Adaptation is the only mechanism that allows us to progress in all senses.
Aligning emotions, thoughts and behaviors
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines this concept very simply: it is the ability to give appropriate responses to changing situations. This requires, above all, being able to change behaviors, thoughts and emotions.
It is important to first consider one aspect. If we ask someone what adaptability is, they will probably tell us that it is the ability to modify our behavior for the purpose of survival. This definition is not complete: we know that adaptation requires change, but it is not just about behavior, it requires the creation of new thought patterns and the reactivation of certain emotions.
Because without the right state of mind you will not have new ideas, and without innovative, confident and daring thoughts you will not adopt the right behaviors.
Adapting doesn't mean giving up our personality and what we love
Spesso we happen to think that the best thing to do is to turn the page. There are even those who think that the concept of "fit or die" means ignoring one's personality in order to shape a new version of oneself. It is good to fight many beliefs that, in the long run, are not very logical or psychological.
You don't have to start from scratch, but start from your own experience. We cannot strip ourselves of our skin to wear another one, it would go against our essence, what we have learned, our values ​​and our identity. The ability to adapt is to detect those skills that have allowed us to advance to the present moment, put aside those that do not work and learn new ones.
This requires a proper exercise in introspection. If one of our strengths is self-confidence, it is good to keep it. However, we may be unable to think more creatively and recognize opportunities in the midst of the storm. It pays to improve these aspects without losing their essence.
The ability to adapt and tolerance to uncertainty
Andrew J. Martin, professor of educational psychology at the University of Sydney in Australia, has been studying human adaptation for many years. In one of his researches, he points out that if we educated our students to tolerate uncertainty and adapt to change, we would see improvements in their academic results.
Knowing how to accept the uncertain, process it without anxiety, fear or resistance not only facilitates a better adaptation. It is the secret to recognizing the opportunities among the difficulties.
Having mental flexibility does not hurt, it enriches
Having adaptability doesn't hurt, because those who adapt don't lose or give up. He trains emotional and cognitive flexibility that allows him to adapt to new realities with better resources, balance and intuition. What hurts is the inflexibility, the rigid mind that opposes changes and fights them in vain.
To conclude, now more than ever it is necessary to refine these skills that we all carry within us. The time has come to expand them and make them our allies.
