Learning to adapt like the Chameleon!
‘Like the chameleon, one eye on the future, one eye on the past.’ ~Malagasy Proverb
Chameleons are one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet. They are phenomenal at adjusting their skin color to the changes in their environment — Temperature, lighting, social interactions, etc.
Apart from their physical characteristics, if there is one word that stands out about the behavioral attitude of a Chameleon, what would that be for you? For me, it is adaptability!
If we as humans were to learn some lessons from the Chameleon — What would they be? Pondering a bit on this, I am sharing some thoughts below:
- Learn from the past, but be in the present
Chameleons, believe it or not have eyes that move independently. While one eye might be looking out for prey or danger, the other navigates the environment in the front.
As humans, life throws a myriad of situations at us and some of these situations are pleasant, while others are not so pleasant or out-right difficult. These difficult situations, some from years or decades back, can leave impressions on our minds, that can linger on and surface in the present.
Often, we are not just fighting the battle of external life, but also the inner battles — A complex of past impressions, future anxieties and our own complexes.
As my spiritual mentor, Sri Sri has said,
Instead of holding onto emotions and resentments from the past, learning the lesson and moving on helps us stay more productive and makes us wiser in the present. We instead, sometimes, throw the lesson and hold onto the resentment.
Personally, I have held on to a lot of guilt and regret from the past — I realized it no longer serves me to have it — It’s important to not commit the same mistake again, but the emotion can be dropped as it only cripples the spirit.
2. Keep your cool, no matter the external situation
Some Chameleons are known to alter their body color to suit the temperature of their environment. So no matter “how it looks like”, they strive to “keep their cool”, literally.
This is a big asset for us to have — We are thrown into a world of choices, decisions, confusion and uncertainty — It can all get very over-whelming at times, giving us multiple opportunities to lose our calm.
So how do you “Keep Calm and Move on”? — There are a lot of tools available these days — Take a class on breath work/meditation and make it a part of your routine, go for a nature walk , etc.
3. Don’t be a people pleaser
Chameleons indicate when they are comfortable in their environment and when they are not by changing skin colors to brighter or darker shades. This straightforwardness is something humans struggle with, isn’t it?
We say, “yes please” when we may not be inclined or maybe we feel obligated to. People pleasing is draining and makes you lose your identity. Here, the positive side of being like the Chameleon is not “fitting in”, but being true to your self and your stance on things.
Of course, not to be a people pleaser is not being rude — Saying no with a smile is a skill!
What are your take aways or perspectives ? Would love to hear — Do leave a comment!