We get frustrated when something doesn’t go our way.
The shop we drove to is closed, despite their online hours saying something else.
Unexpected delays due to construction makes us late.
Our friend shows up 30 minutes late for our dinner.
We are disappointed when our expectations are not met.
But these are also opportunities.
They are opportunities for us to practice maintaining calm, and observing our emotions.
“Why am I reacting this way? Should I have expected it?”
They are a chance for us to become better prepared.
If we bring a book, the delay is a chance for us to fit in 30 minutes of reading. Or to catch up on the podcast we haven’t finished. Or to finally try out that coffee shop down the street.
A notebook and something to read will help make dead time productive.
Acknowledgement of our situation will help us become more adaptable.
Unexpected events, delays, or obstacles will never go away.
But with a little preparation, we can adapt.
