Did you know that hummingbirds are the only ones of our feathered friends that can fly backwards? In fact, they can fly up, down, sideways or even stay almost motionless in one spot. Turns out that all other birds get their power of flight on the down-stroke, which means they essentially fall, then use their wing power to lift themselves up. And it’s why they can only fly forwards. The hummingbird however uses both the down- and the up-stroke. And as a result, it can do things no other bird can do – stay perfectly still in space, fly backwards, forwards, to one side or another, upside-down, and everything in-between.
So by taking advantage of the energy created from both the up- and the down-stroke, the hummingbird is able to do so much more than any other member of the avian species. It got me thinking about whether there is a parallel to be drawn to the human species. It’s clear that we are energized by when good things happen, or the up-stroke shall we say. But are we also drawing energy from the down-stroke, from the disappointments and setbacks we all encounter at some time or another? Positive experiences and encounters give us the vitality and drive to move forward, but think of how much more we could accomplish if we deliberately and thoughtfully gleaned whatever we could from our negative situations. By taking advantage of the down-strokes, we would be able to move backwards, to the side and around, all the while looking for ways to get past the inevitable obstacles that arise in our way.
Most birds don’t have the physical ability to take advantage of both the down- and the up-strokes. But humans do! Are you drawing energy from your down-strokes as well as your up-strokes? What are you doing to be a hummingbird? Please share by adding to the Comments below.