The morning was off to a great start, with a good plan for the day. Unbeknown to me, the day was about to be derailed. I heard an unusual noise but didn’t pay much attention to it until it continued. I began looking around to find this strange noise only to find my hot-water tank had blown and was leaking water all around! I have never had this happen before.

I stood back and took a deep breath. Panic and worry? What would that get me?
Frustration, anxiety, anger, frantic? I didn’t want any of those feelings as I don’t like how they make me feel.

What else could I do? I choose to breathe and be calm. I adjusted my schedule, created a plan, took some more deep breaths, and turned off the hot and cold water taps. Because it was a gas tank also, I turned off pilot light and gas to the tank! I contacted a plumbing company that I know that has a great reputation for helping in these types of emergencies. When I talked to them, they asked what I had done to stop the leaking and they confirmed I did everything I needed to do. They confirmed that they would have someone over in a couple of hours to install new tank. I cleaned up the mess and got back to work, knowing by choosing not to panic and become frantic, everything would work out with very little stress.

4 Helpful Strategies when things go sideways:

1. Breathing – this allows you to slow the mind and body, avoiding panic and to help you make better choices.
2. Intention – not wanting the event to wreck day, choose what you would like for it all to work out and go smoothly.
3. Mindfulness – Be aware of the thoughts going through your mind and how your body is feeling. Anytime a concern or a worry should arise, focus on breathing to calm the body and emotions.
4. Focus on the end result, with everything working out.

The process takes effort, and it is like building a new muscle if you are not familiar with doing it. You can bring this type of process into each day and notice how you feel at the end of the day.

How do you deal with unexpected problems or events? Please comment below.

If you are ready to release and say “goodbye” to panic, anxiety and worry, email me to set up a complimentary 30 minute strategy session. Add “30 Minute Strategy Session” to the subject line to sign up.