Word of the Day: Adapt

The last few days have been very long ones for me. The night before last I got about three hours sleep then had to get up for an appointment with my behavioral health doctor (for my ADHD med consultation, nothing exciting); last night I only managed about two hours sleep, and then spent the entire day at the Pullman Quality Inn for a 14-hour crop with some fellow crafters! Honestly, I left an hour early; I was getting quite a headache and starting to move in slow motion.

I can’t share photos of my project yet – one, because it’s not quite finished, and two, because it’s a Christmas present for my friend Chelsea, and I want her to see it first. But I will be writing about it soon, and it’s turning out to be quite an epic undertaking! I’ll definitely be making one for myself!

Instead, I would like to talk about my word for today, “adapt,” as I was thinking about it while I was working. It’s really an amazing concept. According to my old friend Webster, there are three definitions for this one five-letter verb:
      1. To change your behavior so that it is easier to live in a particular place or situation.
      2. To change (something) so that it functions better or is better suited for a purpose.
      3. To change (a movie, book, play, etc.) so that it can be presented in another form.
Did you catch that repetition?
To adapt is to change….

Another key point:  “adapt” is a verb, an action word, something you do, continuously. When you enter an unfamiliar situation you change your behavior (adapt) to make it easier to exist in that place at that moment. Sometimes for you, sometimes for others around you. Most of the time this is not a conscious action, but rather something we do naturally, often without noticing. Well, most people in most situations come by it naturally. Others of us have more difficulty, require more effort, or in my case more intellectual exploration and question asking (which can sometimes lead to a change in the behavior of a friend, and not always in a positive, “adaptive” way).

Really this is just scratching the surface. I have some more thoughts to share on this concept but my headache is fast approaching full-on migraine so I’m going to leave you with this taste of what’s to come – chew on it, roll it around in your subconscious, and prepare yourself for part two (hopefully tomorrow).