While the Western world sees a ‘hard stance’ as a sign of strength, Taoists recognize that such rigidity can just as easily be a weakness. A famous example from Lao Tzu is the brittle, dry plant—its inflexibility leads to its downfall, while softness is its true strength.

The idea of non-resistance stems from the power of softness and flexibility. Often, it’s wiser to flow with events rather than resist, even when resistance feels like an instinctive choice.

Resisting reality rarely works. What must happen happens. We can’t stop it. That doesn’t mean we cannot influence our circumstances, but we don’t control the outcome. If we did, we’d all be millionaires, every Joe would find his Jane, and hardship wouldn’t exist. But life doesn’t work that way. And often, resisting isn’t just futile. It could also make things worse.

This week’s (upcoming) video explores the Taoist concept of non-resistance.

Stay tuned!