When Nothing Goes as Planned.

Have you ever been stonked? It's not as fun as it sounds, believe me. My mother (a talented interior designer) and her partner (an architect who is now launching his awesome photography business) developed this phrase to describe that moment of utter disappointment and frustration when something just doesn't come through for you.

FOR EXAMPLE: You have completely researched through your state/ city government's website about what paperwork you need to bring to what buildings in order to walk away with your business license that day. You have confirmed this with multiple government employees.

After completing said paperwork to the best of your ability you march your cute butt down to the circuit court and city hall to complete the final steps and make the final payments. OR SO YOU THINK!

Beaming you lay all of your paperwork down in front of the only employee working in the finance department that day and he informs you that you have forgotten a form. Crestfallen you walk to the correct department to retrieve said form and after spending several hours downtown now, offices are beginning to close. Your dreams of walking away with a license that day are no longer realistic. Oh, and you have to walk multiple blocks back to your car in the pouring rain and hail in June because Richmond, VA that's why.

In my family we call that stonked. And it happens. A lot. Especially when it comes to legal paperwork.

Now, you can fully expect a blog post next Tuesday about what paperwork you are going to need to set up a business in the city of Richmond, VA but for today I want to talk about how to cope with these feelings of disappointment and frustration.

I think having a word to scream at the sky helps. When my fiancé looked at me and asked what was wrong I could look at him and recognize that NONE of this was my fault. I did my part! The universe just didn't cooperate and instead of having to explain exactly what had happened I could just tell him,"I got stonked." He empathetically nodded. It happens.

So here is what you do:

You eat/ drink some comfort food/beverage (fries/ tea/ cake etc…)
You watch this awesome TED talk by Elisabeth Gilbert (multiple times if necessary)

You detach and read a book or play a video game or do SOMETHING that relaxes you, that is just for play without any pressure or strings attached.

Then you get back to work. Tomorrow is a new day. You are one step closer today to accomplishing your goals than you were yesterday.

So rest assured, even if your goals take a little longer than expected they are still going to happen because you are a determined human being who has a dream.

Just keep swimming, folks.