Do you believe that when things don't go according to our plan, there is a problem? That something is wrong or that something bad is happening, or will happen, if circumstances don't match what we want or expect? Many of us create havoc and heartache in the pursuit of an outcome we have decided is the only way to what we want. When things don’t turn out as we expect, it can feel like the end of the world.

What if everything happening in our experience was meant to help us, not hinder us? When the bus runs late, I can choose the story I tell myself about the situation. I can feel stressed and anxious, concerned that I will be late for a client meeting, and worried about my reputation as a dependable teammate. Or I can suspend judgement and stay open to how this situation may be helpful.

Perhaps I'll read a critical email that I have may have missed if the bus were on time. Maybe I'll meet someone important to my upcoming plans on the later bus. Perhaps the person I'm scheduled to meet with is also running late, and will be filled with relief when they realize they are not alone.

I know when I have created a “problem” story in my mind based on my feelings about a situation, because I start to feel bad. And I am the one in control of the story I tell myself about what is happening.

When we are willing to step back and decide what we want our circumstances to mean, we are back in the driver’s seat of our experience. We are at choice to feel good in the moment.

What circumstances are you willing to tell a different story about today?

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