You’ve Got This!

It will only take a minute! You jump in the car for a quick trip to the grocery store for a needed item for dinner. The meal you have prepared is in the oven and will be done in about 15 minutes. Ah, you’ve got this. Except you only get 100 yards down the road and your car suddenly quits. You didn’t bring your cell phone with you because you didn’t think you would need it. Now what? Just like me, I’m sure you have been here more times than you’d like.

This is Murphy’s Law.

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Murphy’s Law as, “anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” Isn’t this the truth?! We’ve all found ourselves in these types of situations. There is just no avoiding them. They can’t be avoided because they aren’t planned or expected. And this is the very principle upon which this saying is based upon.

So what can you do? Using all of your time and energy to fight Murphy’s Law will get you no where. It is a dead end. It will exhaust you, wear you out and defeat you. So, what can you do to take control of this lil’ bugger?

Here are some ideas for you to consider.

• First and foremost, accept it. I know that is much easier said than done. You have a busy schedule, places to be and people to see. However, whatever the travesty of your current situation, fighting it will not get you anywhere.
• Don’t stay trapped in your emotions. There are definitely times in your life when you just need to scream and yell, jump up and down, and even sit down and have a good cry. This is normal and healthy. However, don’t allow yourself to get swallowed up by these emotions. Express how you are feeling and then work on a plan.
• Originating as a term in the sport of boxing, you need to learn how to “roll with the punches.” This concept is very similar to acceptance. Whether something ocurred that is out of your control or something you wish you would have done differently, it’s time to just accept it and move forward.
• Step back and try something totally different. Sometimes when you allow yourself time to look at a situation in a different perspective, then the answer becomes more clear. When you encounter Murphy’s Law, it is difficult to not want the path you are traveling to continue. Take a different look, direction and action. As the saying goes, “there is more than one way to skin a cat.”
• Whatever the situation and wherever it may occur, you can use a quick mindfulness breathing exercise. Most likely you will have some type of technology with you, whether it is your cell phone, tablet, laptop or some other device. Type into your search engine, “5 minute mindful breathing exercise.” When I did this using Google, it came up with approximately 607,000 results. This means there are plenty to choose from, complete with audio and video to guide you in this exercise.
• I have adopted a new mantra in my life and I want to share it with you. This is a fairly new and catchy phrase in today’s world. I remind myself “It is what it is.” Try to smile and let whatever has happened roll off your back. With practice, I now find myself laughing when Murphy’s Law catches up to me. I just shake my head and repeat my
  mantra.

The fact is sh*t happens and it always will. If you can prepare yourself and be aware of this, life can be so much easier. How do you fight Murphy’s Law? Take a quick moment to leave a response or send me an email. As always, thanks for stopping by.

©Julie Corbett