Flexibility is Key
Learning to be flexible is key to avoiding frustration.
Flexibility is key when operating in a modern world. I consider myself to be a modern monastic, which means I aim to live with a monk-like posture while maintaining a relatively modern lifestyle. Many of us know that modern life can be complex and unpredictable at times. Something new, unexpected, or out of the ordinary is bound to happen at some point in time. This cannot be escaped. Instead, it's something to be embraced. A key characteristic that we must develop then is flexibility.
Traditional monks tend to have strict routines and schedules while they live in a monastic community. This works well for them as they remain relatively isolated from the influences of the outside world. But the modern world tends to resist such stringent guidelines. Of course, one can and should have some semblance of a daily routine. Imagine how chaotic life would be if we didn't have some routines and habits in place. But these routines we create for ourselves should hardly be set in stone. Something out of the ordinary might happen at any time—and it often does in a modern world. We must learn to embrace the various situations that may arise in the course of a day and learn to adjust willingly and accordingly.
The other day, my wife wanted us to go with our son to the park on a beautiful Monday morning. I usually reserve my mornings for lots of prayer with God and then doing some writing. And so, going to the park throws a small wrench into my usual morning routine. As a modern monastic, I've learned to embrace times like these and take delight in them. Although an activity like this may disrupt my usual morning schedule, I've learned to see its value to me and my family. And so, off to the park we went, enjoying our time together. Afterwards, I simply tried my best to continue on with my routine, making the proper adjustments as needed. In this case, prayer and writing were pushed for much later in the morning than normal.
This flexible way of living might seem like it should be intuitive. I'm sure it must be intuitive to many of you. But for me, it's actually not. I actually find being flexible quite challenging as I can be a tad bit of a perfectionist. I love having set routines to operate within each and every day. I would be very happy doing pretty much the same thing every single day with little variance. But as a husband, a dad, and someone who has multiple work arrangements, I have found that I can never have two days that are exactly alike. And so, although I have some semblance of a daily routine, the boundaries of that routine are flexible to match what's required for a given day. That's just part and parcel of living a modern lifestyle. Embrace this rather than choosing to fight it. Learning to be flexible is key to avoiding frustration. If I'm not flexible, I'll constantly be frustrated at not being able to adhere to my particular routine. But having a flexible attitude allows me to embrace interruptions to my schedule and to even see them as events appointed by the Lord for my own good and for the good of others.
Barnabas the Monastic
Servant of Christ. Husband. Dad. Modern Monastic. I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in modern everyday life. Lives in Canada.
