"Expect the unexpected". 

What do you think of when you hear this? Do you think of a bunch of things that could go wrong when you were expecting things to go "right"?  Do you think that phrase is the best way to prepare yourself for any bump in the road of life?

The way I see it, life is made up of a series of events that, for the most part, are unpredictable. You can expect things to turn out one way, but there's a strong likelihood they end up another. Would you agree?

Why does it seem as if when one thing happens, everything happens. For example, you take your car in for what you thought was a minor issue and find out there is a lot more wrong than what you bargained for. What you thought was going to be a few hundred dollars is now going to cost close to a grand. You were expecting a specific outcome and didn't get it. 

This is the unexpected.  This is life throwing lemons right at you. Most of us are not very good with handling a situation that has completely thrown us off course.  I have a tendency to get frustrated which only makes things worse and can be a catalyst for creating more roadblocks.

How would you handle it?  When life hands you the unexpected? When the lemons are thrown at you?

MAKE LEMONADE!!! I know, we have all heard that before and it sounds cliche, but it's true.

Having the mindset to "Expect the unexpected" puts you in a position to adapt and adjust to things easier and make that lemonade.  What do I mean?  Well, it's like when you're driving. You know the way to your destination, but a road closure means you have to find another way.  When you're ready for the worst, you have the ability to adapt. Now this doesn't mean you're always expecting bad things to happen, it just means you are aware of all possibilities.   

This week I was challenged by this very concept. I had so many unexpected situations that were thrown my way.  For some reason this phrase came to my head. I like to think that God whispered it in my ear so that I could handle them all without getting overwhelmed.

How did I handle it?

I accepted the fact that this is life. I accepted that I can't get attached to any outcome. I need to as they say "roll with it" Face the situation head on and see what I can do moving forward. You know what?

It worked.