If you have been living on this planet for more than a few decades, you figure out that life does not always go as expected.

You can do research, study and specifically prepare for many of the challenges or even the opportunities that may possibly appear in our day to day lives, but the unexpected still happens. . . at least some of the time.

What I have learned is NOT an effective tool to deal with the unexpected is to complain about it. Complaining only delays dealing with whatever unexpected thing is on your plate. Complaining is a distraction that disempowers us, making us feel like victims of the unexpected.

One thing I know for sure is if I believe I have no power (at least over how I feel), my life loses the juice that allows me to enjoy the simplest things and to feel peace even when things don’t go my way.

What is helpful for me is to accept that the unexpected has occurred and then be stretched to see what solutions may actually exist to solve, mediate or expedite getting things working again in my favor. In other words, my ability to accept rather than resist puts me in charge of my life, in spite of the unexpected.

I am more creative when I remember I always have options. I am more resilient when I remember I have the power to meet whatever unexpected happening may pop into my life.

Clearly, I’ve been successful. I have survived every single unexpected event thus far.

This is a relevant lesson for me to review this week since I expected I would be fully recovered by now from my Chemo treatment eight days ago. I expected to have at least close to my normal energy, a healthy appetite and to have my GI system working smoothly.

As the post chemo days clicked by and rather than feeling stronger and healthier I felt weaker and yuckier, I had to get into the mode of acceptance. I had to adjust to the unexpected.

What I am currently noticing is it is easier to accept the unexpected if I don’t dwell on my disappointment. If I focus on what I CAN do to make myself more comfortable, I am reminded that I am still in charge.

If I do my best to not tell my self scary stories that cause me to fear more of the unexpected, I can hang on to my peace.

I imagine this cancer journey will continue to provide me with many more opportunities to adjust to the unexpected so when I move beyond this chapter I expect I will be stronger and wiser than I was when it started. 😉