We’ve all been there. We’re working towards our dreams, hitting all of the checkmarks, and life decides we need to switch it up. Before we know it we are pulling scraps together trying to not fall apart while we navigate the change. All because life unexpectedly changes.

This could be anything from job loss, a business venture not working, the loss of a loved one, a global pandemic, a miscarriage, etc. The list can go on. We aren’t destined to live a perfect, problem-free life. In fact, we are promised hardships and trials. These hardships, trials, and unexpected changes help us grow, learn, and become who we were meant to be.

That doesn’t make it any more enjoyable though. 😂 In the last two years I’ve lost three jobs. You can read about losing my first teaching job here. During the pandemic I really dug into starting a virtual assistant business. The last two years I’ve been teaching online while as a VA. Within 4 months of each other I lost both of those jobs.

So here I am. 27 years old searching for a career. Again. We are never fully prepared to hear life’s changes. Walking into my principals office back in 2020 I knew what was happening, but hearing it didn’t make it any easier. With my big VA job in 2021, things felt off the weeks beforehand but I never expected to be let go via email. My online teaching job I anticipated but still had hope my gut feelings were wrong. Life’s unexpected changes are never easy, but sometimes we don’t get a choice.

1. Give yourself time
   Whatever it is that you’re mourning and grieving. Give yourself time to feel those emotions. I’m guilty of pretending like it is all okay and not showing my emotions, but it is okay. It is okay and completely normal to feel angry, sad, frustrated, and jealous. It is important that we are able to process everything so we can make clearer decisions moving forward.
   
2. Lean on the support in your life
   We all have people who care about us. We don’t have to share all of our thoughts and feelings with others, but letting others in gives us support. Letting others into our world and changes gives them a lens to look through. Whether we want advice or just a listening ear, having others in our corner makes the unknown a little easier to tackle.
   
3. Start a gratitude list
   When our plans don’t align with life’s plans it is easy to jump on the negative thought spirals on why we “deserve” what happened (but we don’t deserve that). Instead of riding the spiral we can combat it with a daily gratitute practice. Finding three things to be grateful for every day helps our mindset and gives us perspective. A gratitude list is not forcing positivity, but instead is lifting the veil a little bit to see that there are still good things in life, even when it feels like there isn’t.

These are three strategies I have used the past two years when life unexpectedly changes. What I’ve come to realize is that these things happen for a reason. It is not a punishment or something I “deserve”. Unexpected things happen and switch up our life to put us on a path that we were meant to be on. We might not realize it at the time, but it was a blessing in disguise.

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