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What To Do When Bad Things Happen
Finding your way back to center
When The Unexpected Happens
Life can change in the blink of an eye…
One moment you are in this groove — you’re changing and growing. Suddenly, something outside your control derails the plan that you set in motion.
Whether that something is a recent accident, death, or bad news — it disrupts you.
I have learned to start pausing when bad things happen. Sometimes things don’t make sense, we may question it or even God. That’s okay to do; your mind is grabbling with the facts of the situation.
Allow yourself to feel and think what you may. Do not, however, stuff those feelings away. Feelings like visitors will pop up one day unexpectedly. They usually are amplified at this point and do more damage than good.
So, go ahead — cry, journal, run, shake, yell, or walk. Connect back to your body and remind yourself that it will be okay. The situation may look bleak, hopeless, or even cloudy.
Honestly, let it look that way. Sometimes we try to fix things immediately without letting the storm pass first. Allow the storm to pass.
Find Your Place Of Solace
I try to fix things — because I am a fixer. Well, this time it backfired. My emotions came up without any warning. I had to pull away from others and find a place of solace.
Everyone’s place of solace may look different. To some, it may be a home, church, a group of friends, or a person.
Go to your place of solace and let yourself stay there for a moment. Take a pause and gather yourself. It is completely fine to do this. The world needs more places of solace and more pauses.
Lean into the silence, lean into the emptiness, and allow your heart to shatter, or even break. It is going to anyway. So, the best place to be is somewhere you feel safe, seen, and heard.
Once you are there — unpack everything. Express it, let it roll out of your mouth, feel, think, sob, and let it all go. You will feel better once you do.
