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Life can throw unexpected situations at you at times. You might be driving to work one day, and your car suddenly breaks down. Or, you might walk into your office one day and find that your boss or favorite buddy no longer works for the organization, or you may be passed over again for a promotion that seemed to be yours.
Your unforeseen event might even be a sudden illness, car crash, or an injury you sustained at work or while going about your day. When you encounter such situations, you need to solve problems and think creatively. However, negative emotions such as frustration, anger, and fear can interfere with your brain’s ability to think quickly and respond sensibly to sudden occurrences. If you are able to tap into your inner creativity, your chances of coming out of such situations will be higher.
We cannot control the occurrence of unexpected situations, but we can control how we respond to them. This can make a difference in how you deal with stressful issues and how you feel about them. This article will show you how to survive unexpected occurrences and even come out stronger.
Accept The Situation
The first thing to do when dealing with the unexpected is to accept it. No matter the size of the impact, small or significant, you will be better prepared for action if you accept that unexpected events can happen. When life throws some hardship at us, our initial response could be denial or disbelief. People tend to stay in denial for a while in order to protect themselves or hide away from the situation.
Staying in disbelief to avoid despair is not the best approach because it won’t prepare you to face reality. Acceptance can be challenging, especially when you are not ready. But you can take it one step at a time. Remember, you’re the only one who can change your response to events and yourself, so it’s best to accept what you can’t change.
Acceptance also involves acknowledging your feelings. You may experience various emotions, such as fear, sadness, confusion, or anger. If you hold on to the negative emotions for too long, it will take you longer to recover. So, give yourself time to be upset or sad, but don’t lose focus on what might be the silver lining.
Get Help From People Who Know Better
Since you can never truly prepare for the unexpected, you will likely need help dealing with it. Don’t assume you know it all and take actions that you might end up regretting. For instance, if you get injured due to another person’s negligence, it wouldn’t be smart to deal directly with the other party or accept just any compensation they offer without having legal representation.
Without proper guidance from an experienced professional, you might lose your chance of getting the compensation you deserve. According to Seay/Felton Trial Attorneys, a team of personal injury lawyers, “The courts understand that there is a lot more than the invoices that show the whole picture of an injury. This is why victims are able to seek compensation for non-economic factors as well, like their pain and suffering, or being unable to pursue the hobbies and activities they could before the accident.”
Think Before Acting
Reacting and responding are not the same. A reaction comes automatically, almost like a reflex. People tend to react when they feel threatened. On the other hand, a response is an action that you consciously decide to take or a thoughtful assessment of the situation. For instance, if you get cut off in traffic by another driver, your automatic reaction might be to get angry and look for ways to retaliate or curse at the other driver. But if you think before acting, it will give you an opportunity to pick a better option than retaliate.
Consider practicing deep breathing and counting to 10 as a way to restrain a reaction long enough for you to choose a better response. One way to increase your ability to pause before acting is to practice mindfulness regularly. Mindfulness is your ability to live in the present and be more intentional or aware of each moment. It requires being fully engaged in what’s happening in your surroundings without being overwhelmed or overly reactive.
Interestingly, you can exercise mindfulness while carrying out your regular activities. For instance, when walking your dog, you can take more time to observe your environment, feel the air against your skin, or appreciate the scenery. You can even appreciate the texture of your meals when eaten or the sensation you feel when drinking your favorite beverage. Mindfulness may seem simple, but it is incredibly powerful.
