Here’s What to do When Things Go Wrong

Have you ever had a week, or even a season, where you felt like everything was just failing? I have…

Let me tell you about just a few of the things that have happened over the past week: My house keys fell out of my pocket when I was walking the girls to school. I hurt my back trying to climb a fence to break into my own home. Our puppy came home with fleas. The girls got sick and then Jordan got sick and then I got sick. I accidentally left my phone in our car, and before I realized it, our window was smashed and my phone was stolen.  Then the electricity went out…

During all of this, I was working with my team to try to get my new program, The Virtual Workspace Makeover, finalized, tested, and ready to launch. It was supposed to go live today. As you may have noticed… it did not. 

Without the use of my phone or computer I was forced to slow down. Clearly, I needed to slow down. When I stopped racing and panicking, I realized a few things that really helped me and, of course, I wanted to share them with you. 

Press Pause

When things feel out of control, and you feel like nothing is quite working as it should, press pause. Slow down. Breathe. Sometimes a little time and space is all you need to arrive at mental clarity. After my week filled with non-stop challenges, I found myself packing up the family and heading to the beach. It was kind of chilly and I don’t even like the beach, but knew it was time for a reset. Nothing gives perspective quite like watching your kids splash in the ocean while your dog rolls around in wet sand. The soft serve ice cream didn’t hurt either. 

Find the Lessons 

When things aren’t going smoothly, there is generally a lesson to be learned or some wisdom to be gleaned. In my case, I realized that I was overworking in my own business, and also overworking my team. I made the decision to delay our program launch one week so everyone could get some well-deserved rest and we could put out a product we all felt great about at the right time (stay tuned!).

Ask This Question

Here is my new favorite question:

“How is the worst thing also the best thing?”

It’s a fun game you can play with your brain to reframe things. Here’s one example:

Q. How was having my phone stolen also the best thing?

A. I was forced to take a digital detox (which I really needed), and I also learned how to properly back up my device for the future. 

Even in the worst of circumstances, there is generally a lesson and some wisdom, just waiting to be discovered. 

So, cheers to better weeks, and to making the most of the challenging ones! 

Image Credit: Vivian Johnson Photography