build your resilience and coping skills for when real problems arise. Here are a few ways to reframe the inconveniences in your day. Learn to laugh at them Have you ever been in a situation where something went horribly or ironically wrong and thought to yourself, “This is going to be a very funny story when it’s over?” Me too. The nice thing about inconvenient situations is that they can be funny in the moment. They’re just not that serious, so go ahead, throw up your hands in surrender and laugh at your little misfortune. Have a teaching moment with yourself When I went to move the car yesterday, I missed a lot of little signs that should have raised red flags for me. None of the other cars on the block were moved. There weren’t any cars double parked on the alternate side of the street. Whether its a lesson to pay more attention, to better prepare, or to plan for contingencies in the future, there’s a lesson in this mishap. What can you learn from it? Use the moment to hone your problem-solving abilities I believe some of our most creative thinking happens when things don’t go as planned. We’re forced to think quickly and outside of the box to set things right. Pause, take a breath and deal with the situation. Your ability to problem-solve quickly in this moment will make you better able to deal with more serious issues. Embrace mistakes & a lack of control As much as I would like to deny it, we do not have total control. We can plan, prep, organize, study, and work like crazy and some things will still be out of our control. In the case of the inconveniences we bring on ourselves, we’ve made a mistake. Even the most accomplished and talented among us make mistakes. It is what it is, and it’s ok. Give yourself kudos for handling it like a champ Something went wrong today, and you didn’t have a meltdown, didn’t let it ruin your mood, dealt with it, and moved on. High five! We don’t give ourselves enough credit for the things we do well every day. Instead, most of us tend to focus on the mistake, the mishap, or everything we didn’t accomplish. Let’s try and change that, starting with giving yourself a kudos for bouncing back.]]>