Change Your Mind
A few months ago, a presidential candidate was talking to Sam Harris on Harris’s Making Sense podcast. The candidate had been accused of flip-flopping by a politician from another party. His response to the politician was, “Well, how do YOU respond when you get new information?”
It was tactical and brilliant and I wrote it down in my phone. “Of course politicians should change their views when they get new information,“ I thought. “We should all be open enough to do so.”
The discussion made me think about cognitive flexibility, a term I was introduced to several years ago by my BFF, MJ, who, in a former life, was a clinical psychologist. Cognitive flexibility is the ability to change what you’re thinking about, how you’re thinking about it, and even what you think about it--– in other words, the ability to change your mind. The term resonated with me immediately as I thought of the many ways I fall short. I’m stubborn by nature, so I try to stay aware of the times I hold back and cling to ideas or perceptions because it feels safe, as well as the times I transcend those moments and step forward. How am I dispassionately responding to what peer-reviewed scientists are saying about local and global issues? How am I responding to social justice and the emotional pulse of my community? How am I responding to the changing needs or views of my relationships? How can I best serve my students while sustaining my business in light of the pandemic?
I write this (and all my other blog posts) by no means as an expert, but rather as a yogi who actively seeks growth. I’m a grammar Nazi and my fists inwardly flail when someone uses “lay” when (damnit, according to my 10th grade English teacher), it should be “lie.” I correct students if I see them hiking their shoulders up to their ears when they reach their arms overhead. And shouldn’t (you pick: carbs, red meat, dairy, bananas…) be banned from your diet because they’ll destroy your health?
It turns out that language is one of the most fluid aspects of humanity, so I try to use descriptive vs. prescriptive grammar. It also turns out that lifting your shoulders when you lift your arms (a former taboo in the yoga world) is natural, so I now give more nuanced instruction. As far as demonizing food goes, however, I’m going to stick to my guns and continue to enjoy most foods with relish and within reason.
As with everything, from the simple examples I’ve given above to core political decisions, choosing to change your mind (or not) is about balance, discernment and nuance, but mostly it’s about being open and aware—skills we can practice every time we step onto our mats.
How do you respond when you get new information? Do you step forward into growth or do you step back into safety? How does your yoga practice influence either tendency?