🏇 Taking It in Stride: Embracing Life’s Hurdles with Grace 🌀
Taking things in stride means to accept circumstances as they are and deal calmly with any obstacle. Picture a horse effortlessly jumping a hurdle without breaking its pace. This image beautifully captures the essence of this idiom. Such a metaphor began its figurative usage around the early 1900s. Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth (1905) is a notable early literary example: “I’d want something that would look more easy and natural, more as if I took it in my stride.”
Synonyms
- Roll with the punches
- Go with the flow
- Take (something) in one’s stride
- Accept as it comes
Antonyms
- Make a mountain out of a molehill
- Blow out of proportion
- Lose one’s cool
Humor-Filled Quotes
- “Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll
Proverbs and Expressions
- Rise above it: Emphasizing maintaining composure and grace under pressure.
- When life gives you lemons, make lemonade: A proverbial phrase encouraging a positive outlook on adversity.
Recommended Literature, Books, and Movies
- Book: The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
- Book: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
- Movie: Forrest Gump (1994) - Forrest’s life embodies taking things in stride.
- Song: “Let it Be” by The Beatles - Embracing the ethos of acceptance.
Inspirational Thought-Provoking Farewell
We all face hurdles in the journey of life. May you always find the strength to take them in your stride, embrace each moment with grace, and navigate life’s unpredictabilities with unwavering resilience.
### What does "to take it in stride" mean?
- [x] Deal calmly with setbacks or occurrences
- [ ] Run really fast
- [ ] Ignore a problem
- [ ] Seek out new hurdles
> **Explanation:** "To take it in stride" means to deal with setbacks or occurrences calmly without being flustered.
### Which of these phrases is synonymous with "take it in stride"?
- [ ] Cats and dogs
- [ ] Like water off a duck’s back
- [x] Roll with the punches
- [ ] Walking on sunshine
> **Explanation:** "Roll with the punches" much like "take it in stride," means to adapt to adverse circumstances without much trouble.
### True or False: 'Taking it in stride' refers to a horse jumping a hurdle without checking its gallop.
- [x] True
- [ ] False
> **Explanation:** True. The idiom conjures imagery of a horse clearing hurdles in its stride, suggesting handling challenges smoothly.
### Which author used "take it in stride" figuratively in The House of Mirth?
- [x] Edith Wharton
- [ ] Mark Twain
- [ ] Shakespeare
- [ ] Emily Dickinson
> **Explanation:** Edith Wharton used the phrase figuratively in her book *The House of Mirth*.
