Is it a blessing or a curse?

How do you deal with the unexpected? You know, when something happens that you weren’t anticipating at exactly the wrong time? Perhaps a client doesn’t renew his contract or a new employee suddenly decides to take a different job?

This past Sunday was chock full of activities, including a visit to the Farmers Market; church service at Seaside Center for Spiritual Living, and participating in a networking meeting.

To kick off the day, my buddy Joe and I decided to take a walk along D Street beach in Encinitas. There’s a section with large rocks that I like to stand on to take in views of the water. The sky was covered in varying shades of grey and the crashing waves, dotted with undaunted surfers, showed off hues of emerald, blue and foamy white. It was just gorgeous.

Then, without notice, a wave crashes right at my feet drenching me from my chest down. I am soaked, and my pants and shirt are covered in sand. Mind you, I was not dressed in beach clothing.

Standing there in a state of utter surprise, I wonder, “How can I possibly be seen in soaking wet, dirty clothes?” 

 

 There was a time in my life when I would have had a melt down about the inconvenience of getting wet. My day would have been ruined. I would have pitched a fit and gone home instead of continuing on with my plans.

In this case I started to laugh. It was actually a joyous moment and, quite frankly, I didn’t care what anyone might think. Instead, I decided to receive the unexpected dousing as a blessing from the ocean and a sign that sudden abundance is mine.

Thankfully, years of practicing mindfulness has given me the option of seeing the joy in the unexpected.

What about you? When life throws you unexpected waves how do you handle them? Do you roll with the change or let it defeat you? Our responses are always a choice. 

Here’s a quick tool for handling the unexpected. Before reacting with upset when something doesn’t go as planned, do the following:

1.    Take a deep breath.

2.    Count to four as you exhale.

3.    Then ask yourself, “Why is this happening FOR me?”

4.    Listen for an answer.

5.    Repeat if necessary.

That simple process will shift the energy and give you a space to act from with a more conscious response. So the next time a wave crashes on you, try this exercise and see what happens. And if all else fails, you can always laugh!

Until next week,

Be Connected,

Richard