So long as we are living life, we are bound to encounter obstacles.

Therefore, it would be prudent to have a metal model or framework (even if simple), for facing and confronting delays, detours, and derails as they arise.

The first thing that’s crucial to understand is…

Events Are Always Neutral

We are quick to label everything as good, bad, right, wrong, like it, don’t like it, enjoy it, don’t enjoy it, and so on.

A specific event might feel good or feel bad to you. But the event itself is completely unaffected by any meaning you give it.

Which only means one thing:

You can make events mean whatever you want.

That’s why…

It’s Good to Adopt This Simple Mantra

Whenever something comes up that I might potentially perceive as bad, unlucky, unfair, or otherwise, I say to myself:

“I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but I know this is going to work out to my benefit.”

I might even say it out loud.

Again, with the context established that events are neutral, they always have the potential of working out to your benefit, even when it doesn’t seem like it.

For instance, you might desire a new job. But out of the blue, you end up losing your current job.

“This is horrible,” you say. “I don’t know what I’m going to do!”

But the universe might be creating a space from which you can get that new job, you see. Losing your job could be a necessary step to getting the job you desire.

The altitude of your success is determined by your attitude. So, maintaining a good attitude is key, especially if you believe in the law of attraction.

The altitude of your success is determined by your attitude. Click To Tweet

And…

Delays Are Often Blessings in Disguise

Say what you will about Joel Osteen. I’m not here to discuss whether he is a “Godly” man or if his doctrine is right. But there is something valuable I learned from him, especially from his book, Your Best Life Now.

And that is this – delays are often blessings in disguise. Delays can lead to getting something better than you expected.

Let’s say you’re waiting on a promotion, and you end up getting passed up in favor of another employee.

The natural thing to do would be to get angry and frustrated. Maybe even confront your boss or rage quit your job.

But maybe, just maybe, there’s a new position being created by the higher-ups, and not only would it be a better fit for you, but it would also pay more!

Now, this is not always how things play out. Sometimes delays truly are little more than delays. But it’s a heck of a lot more fun to be in anticipation of a coming blessing than to be annoyed at a delayed flight, a hotel booking gone awry, or a date that stood you up.

Final Thoughts

Tonight, on the way home from a birthday celebration and a retreat into nature, I was forced on a detour due to a road closure.

I didn’t know my way around the city and ended up going down two or three roads before I finally found one that took me around the closure.

When I finally found my way back to the main drag, I still wasn’t sure of my surrounding, and ended up taking some roads up the hills and back into nature.

When I finally found my way back to the highway, I found I was not very far from home at all.

But there was still an impact.

The whole time, I was contemplating…

“I wonder what blessing I can expect from this delay?”