Handling Life's Curves

Ah, the best laid plans.... Amazing how it happens, your day or week is all planned out, then "wham" seemingly out of nowhere, something comes along to sideline your plans. A car repair, a family member or friend needs your help, your small child gets sick...or any number of other events that just weren't in your plans can really do a number on you and your "to do" list.

The impact of these types of events on your "to do" list often can't be helped, but you can do something about how these unplanned for events impact you. You may think that your reaction to these events is out of your control, but in reality, they are completely WITHIN your control. After all, who is controlling your emotions and behaviour, if not you? Certainly not your mechanic, right?

Think for a moment about how you typically react to an unplanned for event. Do you feel stressed or upset, angry or resentful? How about frustrated?

We've all been there. Sometimes these feelings come on very quickly, but it just seems like the reaction is out of your control. Because how these events impact you comes down to how you CHOOSE to deal with them. That's right; its a choice. You can freak out, become angry or resentful, but really, how well does that reaction serve you?  You might even feel entitled to react the way that you did. Maybe so, but again, let me ask you, how well does that reaction serve you?  Does it help the situation in any way? Make the problem go away?  Or does it simply make an already unpleasant situation worse?

I'd like to offer you another option for how you choose to react in these situations. Are you ready?  Here it is: acceptance. That's right, acceptance. Acceptance that life will sometimes throw you curves. Sometimes things won't go the way you would like them to. Its going to happen. If you understand this one simple fact life becomes much easier. Learning the habit of accepting the curves life sends you leads to greater peace and calm in your life, along with more of that elusive sense of rhythm many people are searching for. And all of that leads to better health.

You probably don't need any more reasons to start learning to accept these unplanned for events but I'll give you a couple more anyway. First, sometimes the challenges and obstacles that land in your path are there because you need them to be. They might have arrived just in time to help you to grow.  Its true! If you start thinking about how much you need to learn to be more patient, just watch and see how many opportunities to be more patient arrive in your life.

Or sometimes what is initially perceived as an obstacle, turns out to be an opportunity. One that is missed because you were too busy feeling stressed, or angry about the obstacle to notice what it could give you. While you're waiting for your car to be repaired you just might meet your next business partner, someone who has a solution to another challenge you've been facing, or you might be able to use that time to handle other tasks that otherwise wouldn't have gotten done. But if you're stressed or angry, how open to these possibilities will you be?

The fact is, there will ALWAYS be things that come up when you're not expecting them. If you could learn to accept these events, adjust your schedule accordingly and keep going without falling into the trap of the negative emotions; how much better could would your life be?