Picture it: you have plans to do something that you’ve been excited about for a while, and then at the last minute, something comes up – your flight gets canceled or the weather is interfering in some way. Alternatively, there is an accident or construction on your way to work, and you know you’re going to arrive super late. In either of these situations, most people would have a rather negative reaction. Whether that reaction includes sadness, frustration, or even anger, it is almost always a negative reaction in some way.

But let’s think about it for a second. None of us are privy to knowing the greater plan for our life. What if that delay is saving you from something? What if that change in plans is aligning you with someone you’re supposed to meet for one reason or another? Take it a step further even- what if you lost this job because there is a much better opportunity coming next week?

But when we have immediate and negative reactions to scenarios like these, we tend to close ourselves off to the possibility of anything good ever coming from it.

What else do those largely negative reactions do to us? Well, for starters, our blood pressure and heart rate almost always increase due to the “stress”. We also tend to live with more day-to-day anxiety because we may worry about plans changing at the last minute or always be wondering, “what if something happens?”. I am talking from personal experience because I used to be this exact way. I used to “flip out” when something unexpected came up or if I was stuck in traffic and going to be late for work.

But there is a much better way to go about this thing called life. When we “go with the flow” and trust that there are things unknown to us but that doesn’t always mean they’re “bad”, it can allow us to live a much more peaceful life. And when we live this more peaceful and “flowy” life, that inevitably translates into better health because we reduce our overall stress and worry.

Tips for “going with the flow”: -Don’t get too attached to outcomes or the “how” of a situation and instead trust that the best possible scenario is always working itself out.

-Challenge yourself to find gratitude for plans changing last-minute and even get excited for the unknown rather than worried or angry about it.

-If you feel yourself getting worked up because of a last-minute change, take a moment to yourself to take three to five long, deep breaths. And then remind yourself of this article.

So here’s to “going with the flow”!