Welcoming the Unexpected

As I walked my dogs recently on what "should" have been a beautiful and balmy spring morning here in Las Vegas, I was bundled up, head ducked into the wind wishing spring would hurry up and get here. It was a day that reminded me more of mid-December than early May. It also reminded me of how programmed we are to expect things to be predictable (meaning: to be as we want them to be), whether that is in matters of weather or anything else. Life is, by its very nature, unpredictable. And there is no end to the misery we generate expecting it to be otherwise.

Think about it: from the moment we enter the world until the moment of our passing from this life, we try to harness everything, to predict, control and bend circumstances to our will. We listen to weather reports in an effort to help us predict, plan and understand the weather. We attempt to schedule everything in life, hoping against hope that our supreme planning efforts will enable us to eliminate risk and unpredictability. The thinking goes that by controlling every circumstance and situation, or at least most of them, we can eventually relax and be at peace.

Don't get me wrong. There is tremendous value in organizing and prioritizing our lives. It's a necessity. Traffic and weather reports have their place. I wouldn't think of not having adequate insurance. And I also have my scheduling devices--Palm Pilot and Franklin Planner.

But somewhere along the way, we've forgotten that despite our greatest efforts to control, life is simply fraught with a certain amount of chaos and unpredictability. We find ourselves fighting what is because "it" hasn't measured up to what we, in our "infinite wisdom" have decided it should be. But stop to think about it: Has any amount of wishing the weather would change ever changed the weather? Does wanting to be out of traffic get us there any sooner?

The weather is the weather. The traffic is the traffic. The more we embrace and allow the "unexpected" to be the norm, the less we're thrown off when things don't meet our expectations. Of course weather and traffic are simply two of the minor irritations and unpredictabilities we face in a given day. But if you're going to shift your attitude to embrace the unexpected, they're just as good as anything to help you do that.

Try an experiment this week. When you find yourself fighting a situation (start small with things like the weather and traffic), simply allow yourself to welcome the unexpected. Find a way to be at peace in the situation, whether the wind is blowing in May, you're stuck in traffic or you're in the slow lane at the bank or grocery store. Take a deep breath, open your eyes, and give up expecting the situation to be as you think it should be. Instead, allow it to be as it is.

Done consistently, this welcoming of the unexpected, allowing things to be as they are, transforms the relationship between you and the present moment. Coming from this more relaxed and peaceful perspective, you suddenly begin to enjoy the late spring wind storm. Being stuck in traffic and not fighting it, you're now present enough to notice the beauty of the mountains or the flowers blooming in someone's yard. And amazingly the "emotional plaque" that builds up from angsting over things that are out of your control begins to melt away.

Don't take my word for it. This week, make it your mission to welcome the unexpected...and see what new joys and pleasures the unexpected present has in store for you!

Betty

***********************
Quote of the Week
***********************

"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift; that's why it's called 'the present.'" ~~Ziggy

Betty Mahalik has been coaching small business owners, independent professionals and leaders who want to achieve more but stress less, since 1996. Her background includes several years in the broadcasting and public relations fields prior to starting her own firm in 1987. She is an accomplished public speaker and corporate trainer specializing in communications, goal-setting and leveraging your strengths. Since 2001, she has written a weekly motivational message, free to subscribers, titled Monday Morning Coach. To subscribe or learn more about Betty's coaching and training services, visit http://www.dynamic-coaching.com

best cleaning company Highland Park ..

In The News:

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Welcoming the Unexpected

Positive Attitude Tips