You can think of psychological flexibility as being able to move around inside your head like a happy, wiggly worm, and if you’re not psychologically flexible, it’s like being stuck in a tight jar with no room to wiggle.
You’re Like a Stuck Jellybean
Imagine you have a favorite jellybean. If someone offers you another flavor, you say no, even if the new one is super cool. That’s like being not psychologically flexible, you don’t want to change or try something new.
You Can't Handle Being Surprised
You’re used to your routine: breakfast, school, playground. If something unexpected happens, like a snow day, it feels wild and scary. That’s because you're not used to change or surprises, which is another sign of being not psychologically flexible.
You Want Everything to Be Perfect
If your drawing isn’t perfect, you get upset. Or if the cookies don’t look like yours, it feels like a big deal. Being not psychologically flexible means you want things just exactly how they are, no room for mistakes or fun surprises!
You’re not broken, you're just learning to wiggle more!
Examples
- Someone gets angry every time their plans change, no matter how small the shift.
- A student can’t switch subjects and feels lost if they don’t stick to one area of study.
- A person avoids going out because they think everything will go wrong.
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See also
- How Does 10 Psychological Defense Mechanisms Work?
- How Different Types of Alcohol Affect Your Emotions?
- How Does 4 Jokes to Validate Your Constant Anxiety Work?
- How Does 7 Signs It's Your Trauma, NOT Intuition (Gut Instinct) Work?
- How Does 5 Signs of Maladaptive Daydreaming Work?