When Things Don’t Go As Planned

Is there anything that hasn’t gone the way you expected in your work or life?

Yesterday I tore my calf playing tennis.  For me, this is a BIG deal!  I love tennis and now will be out 6-8 weeks and on crutches in the short-term.  

This is definitely NOT what I had planned.  The fall competition playing season is just starting, bringing cool weather, bonding with teammates and exercise…all things I love.  Oddly, though, I am not as upset about it as I thought I would be.  

Here are some ways I adjust when things don’t go as planned. 

Pay attention to signs.  In the case of my injury, I do stop to think about what this might be telling me.  I have been running around more than usual lately, feeling “over busy”, scattered, and not getting to as many things that I feel are important (like writing my blog).  

• If your change in circumstance had a voice, what might it be telling you?  
• What long-term changes make sense based on this information? 

Allow time for transition.  Depending on how big the change is, it does take time to absorb a new reality.  Giving yourself grace and allowing time to adjust to the given situation makes sense.  

• How do you feel about this turn of events, and why?
• What does it look like to take care of yourself during this time of change? 

List what you still have.  It is easy right now to think about what has been lost.  With my injury, I took a moment to recognize how my life will be different in the next few weeks and felt sad.  I also made a choice to not let that keep me down.  

• What do you still have that is important to you?  
• Are there areas that excite you in which you can shift your focus?
• What personal goals do you need to adjust to accommodate this change?   

Imagine your future self.  Helping the brain to visualize a new future “rewrites” the neurological pathways to move into a new, more solid direction.  

• Imagine yourself past the stage of the unknown or fear.  It is a day in which you are successful in the future.  What do you see? 
• What do you need to rely on in yourself now to move toward this future?  
• What do you need to let go of so you can do that? 

Take one moment at a time. Sometimes thinking about things long term can be daunting.  Embracing each moment and deciding what to do with it to make it the most satisfying, given the new reality, can bring its own rewards.  For me, limited movement for eight weeks seems almost unbearable.  I have made a conscious decision to take it one day at a time and make the most of that day, just as it is. 

A turn of unexpected events can be tough.  Allowing yourself the time you need for the adjustment, then having a plan in mind of how to pivot can be useful to getting back on track with purpose and happiness.