Susan L. Farrell, Author

Life Happens, but…

dreamstime_xs_88002753A friend and I were discussing how difficult it can be to accomplish things because “life happens.”  I have been thinking quite a bit about that conversation and I have decided that “life happens” isn’t an excuse.

Yes, things happen.  Usually, though, we can manage this either through better planning or through making better choices.

For example, we all get sick sometimes. If we plan that things like this will happen, then it’s not as disastrous when they do happen.  Whenever I have the opportunity, I work ahead.  I like to have blogs written a few weeks in advance of posting.  If something happens, I can still post a blog.  That only takes a few minutes, compared to writing a blog which can take a couple of hours.  I rarely wait until the last minute to do something.  Not only do I not have to explain to clients why I cannot keep a deadline, it also greatly reduces my stress.

We can also plan financially.  If we have an older home, we can plan that we will probably need to replace appliances, the furnace, or maybe even the roof within a certain number of years.  There is also always the possibility of unplanned unemployment.  By saving money now for emergencies, it is not as detrimental when it does happen.

Making better choices interrelates with better planning.  If we make the choice to use our time and money more wisely, we will have those resources to help us when “life happens.”

Making better choices sometimes involves telling people “no.”  Everyone wants more from us than we can usually give.  It’s acceptable to set boundaries and tell people that we cannot help them.

Sometimes making better choices involves being realistic about how much we can do and telling ourselves “no.”  We may want to do more, but it might not be feasible.  For example, I would like to adopt almost every kitten that needs a home.  It’s not feasible for me to become a crazy cat lady, at least not if I want to stay married!

Frequently it’s not so much that “life happens” as it is that we haven’t planned and/or chosen as well as we could.

Share

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Scroll to Top

Sign Up for Susan's Newsletter

Get the newest information on self-empowerment. You have the power to become the person you want.