Roll with the Punches

I usually try to make my phrase of the day relatable.  I use things that I hear in my regular life, in videos, or in conversation that I want to learn more about.  On the same day that I wrote down, “roll with the punches”, my friend used it in a blog post (dccopypro.com).  I was going to wait until there was a big boxing match, but I guess that is a sign that I should cover it now.

Life can be difficult.  It can be more difficult when you are experiencing difficulties.  If you are able to adapt to changes quickly, you can roll with the punches.  Rolling with the punches means that you can deal with problems as they arise.

As you can imagine by ‘punches’, this phrase comes from boxing.  In boxing, you are going to get hit.  It is certain.  However, if you move your head / body in the same direction as the punch, it will not do as much damage.  If a punch is coming from the left, the boxer should move their head back and to the right to absorb the blow.

Rolling with the punches dates back to a Boston Daily Globe article from 1903.  The article said, “He repeated the blow a few seconds later and also clubbed Johnson on the cheek… Johnson allowed his head to roll with the punches and was not hurt.  Johnson’s round.”  In the 1950s the phrase started to be used more and more with its figurative meaning.

Life is like boxing.  You are going to get hit with difficult situations.  Being able to roll with the punches is an important quality to have.

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Reference:
www.dccopypro.com/2021/08/15/time-to-quit-after-six-months-of-playing-english-copywriter
https://confusingtimes.tistory.com/1226
https://knowyourphrase.com/roll-with-the-punches
http://dearsportsfan.com/2015/09/24/what-does-it-mean-to-roll-with-the-punches/