Life works in mysterious ways. Life is ironic, unpredictable, and adventurous. There are many great opportunities that we don't even realize lay in front of our journey. Often, it takes a life changing experience or moment for us to appreciate the important things in life, or just to enjoy life itself. When the unexpected happen, that is when we begin to re-evaluate aspects of our day to day life.
When life or events go unexpectedly for you, focus on the why. I believe everything in life happens for a reason. One step forward, or backwards takes you ten steps into a direction that brings you to today, tomorrow, and next week.
Consider this.
- Your friends missed their flight resulting in you arriving at your destination a few hours before them. So you use those hours to visit sights and shows you wouldn't be able to see if they were there. You even have the chance of meeting a special someone at a coffee shop. Someone who could potentially make a lasting impact on your life.
- You left an interview empty handed. But perhaps the next week, or in a month you find an opening for your dream job. Something you have been searching for that will result in a big achievement.
- Your car gets written off due to an accident. Yes, accidents happen when you least expect it, and can put a damper on your financial situation. However, the accident itself will make you more aware of your surroundings and to become a more defensive driver. On a more positive note, this could potentially allow you to buy a new car - maybe one you've had your eye on for a while now, but didn't make the purchase for financial, time or other reasons.
- Someone you meet at an event, or above coffee shop scenario, invites you on a trip, but you work that weekend. Somehow you manage to get the weekend off last minute. Allowing yourself to enjoy experiences you didn't think possible. Perhaps that last minute trip that you took, allowed you to become closer with the person your with resulting in a life long friendship or even perhaps more.
- Taking a chance on accepting a new job could leave endless opportunities. It could lead to new friendships, relationships, travel opportunities and much more. Each time you take a job opportunity, no matter how big or small, it opens doors to new experiences.
- Someone you fell in love with, but broke your heart in the end. Doesn't mean the world is coming to an end, or that you will never find another person to be by your side. It simply means that, that one person wasn't meant to be. Those experiences or feelings you want to have with someone is out there, and that person that just ended the relationship will lead you to the next and allow you to build new adventures.
Every step we take in life takes us to our next journey. Whether its a bad experience or a good one, it will still allow us to create a new journey. Growing up there were two common phrases in our home; never go to bed angry, and everything happens for a reason. We tend to focus too much on the negative and less on the positive. When you turn that around to face positive aspects your journey and hurdles seem promising, and you get a sense of accomplishment.
We all work so hard trying to become something, to feel a sense of accomplishment. When a cloud of negativity blocks your sight, its hard to look past the negative. Bad moments are just that - bad moments. It is not a consistent string of bad events, but a bad moment that can be like that cloud of negativity. We must be the sun that breaks through those clouds to appreciate and focus on why things happen, and where it will lead us to next.
As time carries on, so do we. We age with time, and begin to forget to live in the moment with so much surrounding us. We lose focus on living a life when we try to build one. Take those chances. If there is an adventure that lay ahead, I say go for it. There is much beauty to life when we open our eyes to what is around us. Don't lose focus on what is important, what got us here, and where we will be taken.
