Life has a way of throwing us the unexpected – just when we least expect it! We have a plan or a path, and then suddenly, something shows up that we did not put there… and it throws us off.
I’ve learned (and continue to deepen that learning) to not be surprised with those “curveballs.” When unforeseen situations happen, I turn to this 3-step process for dealing with it:
1. Immediately identify WHAT I’m feeling. It could be anger, jealousy, resentment, anxiety, worry, sadness, (fill in the blank.)
2. Do some deep breathing and move my perspective to SEEING the situation (I put mine up on a movie screen) instead of BEING IN the situation. (My current emotional state.)
This really helps take the emotional sting out of it and it helps me see a bigger view of what is going on.
3. I can see from this vantage point that there is usually an unmet expectation. And I have a choice to stay attached to my expectation or manage, adjust, or eliminate it all together, in order to help me feel better.
This is key!
During my recent trip to Sesimbra, Portugal, I experienced a big shift in plans, unexpectedly. What I went there for was not what I ended up doing there, and I had to shift, manage my expectations, and go with the flow. And it is ALL GOOD!
Where in your life have you had to adjust or completely disregard your expectations? Share in the comments.
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