Stuff happens that we don’t like and don’t plan for. It’s not fun. Sometimes it feels like there is no way out and no way to explain why something is happening. Why do bad things happen to good people? Rather than focus on all that went wrong, focus on what good is coming out of the situation. How is the unforeseen, less-than-ideal situation making you better? What are you learning from it? How is it shaping you? Let’s be honest, we don’t get better and grow when everything is going our way, when everything goes according to plan. We don’t get better when life is easy. No. Our growth comes when we face adversity, when we learn what not to do next time. When we persevere. And it feels good to power through.

The next time you are faced with a frustrating situation don’t focus on what you don’t have or what should have been. Focus on the ways you are now better, what good has come from the situation, how you know how to approach it next time. Life is trial and error. Life is not an emergency. This will bring greater joy and make you generally happier. But you have to choose to find the good. Make that choice. You’ll be glad you did.