People rarely use the word “malleable” to describe feelings or experiences. The word is more frequently used in science to characterize metal. Under pressure, malleable metal can be specifically manipulated, hammered, or molded.

However, “malleable” can also characterize a particular personality type. A flexible individual would rather concur with an adversary than engage in discussion. Someone who is flexible is susceptible to emotional pressure. A person who is malleable is adaptable, having the capacity to change.

You can grow more rigid in your beliefs as you age. Adult brains are fully formed. Children are truly sponges, soaking in concepts through experiences because they are most malleable while they are young, unlike adults who may still learn new concepts and change or adapt to new situations if they are conscious and willing to.

For parents who may raise kids who have had adverse childhood experiences, this is wonderful news. Although trauma is something one never forgets, a youngster can learn to process and heal from it easier than an adult. But healing can occur for everyone.

The mind is malleable. Our life can be greatly transformed by even a minimal change in how you manage our thoughts and perceive and interpret the world. Happiness is a skill. It requires effort and time. ~ Matthieu Ricard

Children Are Most Malleable

Children who have experienced trauma may not even be aware of how adaptive they are when they are. Because fragile youngsters may have faced more hardship in their brief lives than adults who have had complete lives, malleability is a true superpower.

Children who have gone through trauma, grief, or other family hardship are forced to be malleable. The good news is that because of their malleable potential, children can grow up strong and self-assured with safe and loving families and help to adjust during the changing seasons of their lives.

Many of the kids are accustomed to constantly adjusting to challenging circumstances. What and how much food they eat, where they live, what resources are available to them, and even which schools they attend are all relevant information. Many of those circumstances are beyond their control, therefore, they must accept it and learn to deal with it.

Kids can be as malleable as you let them. If parents seize the chance and offer it as an attractive and exciting opportunity, children are naturally receptive to novel circumstances.

Parents should set an example of the behavior they want their kids to exhibit. Children will be receptive to novel settings if their parents are open to them. Adults should maintain composure and accept last-minute changes to plans since children will see how you respond to these circumstances. If you don’t make a big deal out of the change, it stops being a problem for you and your kids.

Life is a malleable substance. You can choose to leave it untouched, or you can sculpt into the figure of our dreams; one stroke at a time. ~ Kyle Bohnet

The Role Of Neuroplasticity

No matter your age, neuroplasticity—the ability of your brain cells to change in response to your behavior—can help you more thoughtfully participate in activities that will enhance your wellbeing.

Before adolescence, neuroscientists believed that the brain’s development ceased. That implied that any brain injury sustained in adulthood, such as losing motor function because of a stroke, was irreversible. The brain is now understood to be a highly active and adaptable learning machine that operates throughout a person’s lifespan. Neuroplasticity is the term for this malleability.

You can positively or negatively affect how your brain develops. Your brains continue to work at a high level for a longer period, the more you challenge and engage your mind and body. The promotion of neuroplastic change has a wide range of additional advantages.

At the chemical, structural, and functional levels of the brain, neuroplastic change takes place. These modifications complement one another. When learning anything new, a chemical change takes place that affects short-term memory or short-term motor skill improvement.

When neurons in the brain change their connections, the structure of your brain is altered. This kind of change involves long-term memory and the development of a motor skill over time. When entire brain networks undergo functional change, they become more excitable and effective when engaged because of repeated use. The brain gets stronger and more connections made, the more it’s used.

The past is malleable and flexible, changing as our recollection interprets and re-explains what has happened. ~ Peter L. Berger

Ways To Nurture Being More Malleable

Be tolerant. Healing after trauma might take time to process. Try to understand by listening, but refrain from expressing your understanding. Even if you had a similar traumatic experience, no two experiences are the same and no two people experience or respond in exactly the same ways. Probably you will never fully understand another’s person’s feelings either during or after a horrific event. Building rapport and trust requires listening for understanding rather than responding.

Be dependable. Keep your word and do as you say you’ll do. Trust is hard for most people and especially those who have had adverse experiences they are trying to overcome. So keeping your word is part of building trust with others.

Be sincere about becoming human. Everyone is allowed to admit their errors by using the phrase “I messed up.” People will understand that while perfection might be aspired to, it cannot be expected as it’s a lie of the ego.

Wherever the other person is at this moment, meet them there. It can feel like a setback when something brings up an unexpected memory. Breathe deeply and assist others while they analyze the issue. Even if the path ahead may occasionally be difficult, recognize that you are still assisting others in progressing and moving forward.

Habits are malleable throughout your entire life. ~ Charles Duhigg

Building Flexibility

You must develop the following abilities if we want to be more adaptable. The first is encouraging original thought.  Sticking with the old ways of doing things is a form of resistance to the change that is taking place.  Be open to trying new things and fresh approaches.  Be receptive to new viewpoints by exchanging ideas with others to learn a new perspective.  Start by challenging all facets of the circumstance to uncover trends and examine it from all perspectives. 

The next stage is to unwind and take a brief break from the issue.  As you proceed to test a potential solution, accept that it’s uncertain.  Accept failure of an idea as a learning process, leading to an improved result.  Innovation emerges from this ambiguity, from the unproven and untried ideas.  Be receptive to new discoveries as they emerge. 

Take lessons from everything that occurs.  When you deliberately search for a lesson, every challenge presents a chance for learning.  Don’t let the events pass without learning something from them.  Look for the change’s origin.  Check to see how it might have been avoided.  Explain what happened and how to improve the situation now.  Discuss possibilities and decide how to correct course to meet the goal. 

There are no mistakes or accidents. The present is malleable. Influence the odds. Free will is your pen. Write your life.  ~ Pharrell Williams

Moving Forward Being Malleable

You know you can adapt since you’ve learned to adjust to changing circumstances.  You have mastered the art of getting along with different temperaments in order to interact with them more effectively.  So, you’re not unfamiliar with being malleable to altering situations.

The ego uses resistance to change to keep you stuck in your ways.  You can realize that you are adaptable if you keep an open mind and consider what you have learnt from previous experiences.  You show your malleability by being inquisitive, raising concerns, and being aware of how you react or respond to different situations. 

Fostering original thought, taking time to sit back and observe the broader picture, and being aware of all the puzzle pieces are necessary.  You enable change to be a catalyst for progress by accepting changing circumstances through study, hearing different opinions, and examining your techniques.  Change will occur; by adjusting to it, you progress from disappointment to success. 

A person who listens is one who is malleable and willing to refine her views and actions as she learns new information or hears a better idea. ~ Adena Friedman

Do you need help to be more flexible in dealing with life’s changing circumstances? Are you looking for a way to nurture being more malleable?  Do you need someone to help you be accountable? If so, please reach out to me at TerriKozlowski.com and we can create a plan for you to learn to accept what is and live your best life.

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Summary

Article Name

Living A Malleable Life Allows For Clarity And Helps In Moving Forward

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Becoming more malleable in life gives you the ability to handle change easier. By accepting it, you can move forward successfully.

Author

Terri Kozlowski

Publisher Name

Kozmic Soul Solutions LLC

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