Handling the Unexpected
There’s a lot in life we can plan for—our schedules, our meals, our outfits, even our vacations. But every single one of us knows that no matter how detailed the itinerary, life has a funny way of tossing in a curveball.
Recently, I had a work trip that tested every ounce of my patience and flexibility. It started with three delayed flights. Not one. Not two. Three. One flight even had to turn around mid-air because of a mechanical issue. Mid-air! And if that wasn’t enough, when I finally made it to my destination, I was accidentally given an electric rental car. Which would’ve been fine… except there were zero chargers anywhere near where I was staying. And it didn’t help that I didn’t even realize it was electric until I reached my destination and went to fill up with gas. I could go on, but you get the idea.
Nothing went according to plan. Not even close.
And as I sat there—tired, frustrated, and more than a little overwhelmed—I kept thinking about how we don’t always get to control what happens to us. But we do get to control how we respond.
Because the truth is, life is full of unexpected moments. The detours. The delays. The things that make you want to throw your hands up and say, “Seriously?” But even in the middle of all that chaos, there’s an opportunity to show who we really are.
You can choose to spiral, or you can choose to breathe. You can choose to complain, or you can choose to find a solution. You can choose to dwell in frustration, or you can choose to laugh (even if it’s the tired, half-defeated kind of laugh). Or if you’re a person of faith, you can choose to lose hope, or you can choose to believe that you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.
Do I love when things go wrong? Absolutely not. But I’ve learned that those moments have a way of reminding me how much growing I still have left to do. They stretch me. They challenge me. And if I’m open, they teach me.
So, if your plans fall apart today—or this week or this month—take a deep breath. Remember that your value isn’t defined by how well everything goes. It’s defined by how you show up when things don’t.
Let’s be the kind of people who handle the unexpected with grace, grit, and maybe even a little humor. Because at the end of the day, it’s not about the perfect trip or the smooth path—it’s about the journey, and who we become along the way.
