A perfectionist and a stickler for details, you like things to be planned from A to Z. But even if you’ve perfected everything, you’re never safe from the unexpected. You need to learn how to deal with the unexpected, especially if you’re the kind of person who loses all control when a small detail disrupts what’s been planned. You’ve planned everything down to the last second. You know your script by heart. And you’ve put things exactly where they’re supposed to be…

But even if things don’t turn out as planned, you’ll be able to welcome the unexpected and deal with the “surprises” that are part of life’s course with a few effective tricks.

But first, why can’t you handle the unexpected?

The unexpected can manifest itself in different ways, depending on the context. A technical bug, an absent principal participant, a lost decorative object, an event cancelled at the last minute, a sudden lapse of memory, an untimely encounter… So many scenes can arise. Faced with such situations, many people quickly find themselves at the end of their tether, to the point of swooning, because they don’t know how to react to the situation.

They hate it when their plans are turned upside down! While some just show their disappointment, others, more susceptible, may verge on hysteria. That’s why dealing with the unexpected is so important. You’ll stop suffering from chronic anxiety when you’re faced with life’s hazards.

There are many reasons for this. Here are a few examples.

YOU’RE A STICKLER FOR ORGANIZATION
For many people, the routine of their lives is governed by a perfectly organized timetable. A fixed routine allows them to stay in their comfort zone and avoid any form of frustration linked to the unknown. If one element of this routine is disrupted, it changes the whole rest of the day. Dealing with the unexpected seems like a mission impossible.

THE UNEXPECTED HAS SCARRED YOU FOR LIFE
Apprehension about surprises can also stem from the fact that something unexpected has happened to you before. The consequences of that moment weren’t exactly pleasant: you couldn’t find a solution, and the after-effects stayed with you for a long time. The situation left you so frustrated, even traumatized, that you said to yourself: “I don’t want to face the unexpected ever again!

Because of a past unexpected event that didn’t end well, you’re afraid of dealing with the unexpected, because the feeling that the same thing will happen again scares you. This apprehension prevents you from focusing on possible solutions to an unexpected event.

A CHILDHOOD CONTROLLED BY PARENTS
Parents often tend to over-protect their children. They rarely leave them alone, for fear of seeing them fall and hurt themselves. They speak up for a sick child during a visit to the doctor… All these gestures are well-intentioned on the part of parents, but they are also one of the sources of future fear of dealing with the unexpected.

By dint of over-pampering, parents affect their children’s self-confidence. Children rarely manage on their own: they often need their parents to do things for them, or to make fixed decisions. Taking responsibility then becomes a fear in adulthood. The same goes for coping with unexpected situations. They quickly lose their cool.

HIGH STAKES
The importance of what’s at stake in a situation also plays a role in the fear of unusual situations. The higher the stakes, the greater the apprehension about dealing with the unexpected. You’re afraid of missing out on a golden opportunity because of a small, unplanned detail that you’ll find hard to manage. It could be the regret of your life. For example, you have a job interview scheduled. You dread the unpredictable, such as falling ill on the big day or arriving late because of a transport breakdown.

How do you deal with the unexpected?

The unexpected is not inevitable, and you won’t be unlucky for the rest of your life! A surprise situation can easily be overcome. To deal with the unexpected, all you need to do is adopt the right attitude.

RULE NUMBER ONE: ANTICIPATE
When it comes to the unexpected, let’s replace the adage with “Anticipation is the mother of safety”. It’s all well and good to organize everything perfectly beforehand, but that doesn’t mean you can’t think of possible snags that may arise. That’s why it’s always best to anticipate the little things that can go wrong, at the same time.

If you’re planning a green party, you mustn’t ignore the possibility of a change in the weather. It’s a reflex that should normally be automatic. If you’re thinking ahead, you may already have several plans for dealing with the unexpected. A plan B, which consists of getting your guests into your living room if it rains. Or plan C, taking the car and continuing the festivities in a restaurant.

The unexpected must be planned for in our lives. Unexpected circumstances are an integral part of life.

POSITIVE THINKING MUST BECOME A MANTRA
If the unexpected were a glass half full, most of us would tend to see the half empty instead of the half full. When you’ve planned everything, an unexpected situation is often poorly handled. To deal with the unexpected, instead of seeing the negative side of the situation, you need to focus on the positive side of the moment. When faced with an unexpected event, you need to learn to be optimistic. Think of hazards as spices: they are to life what spices are to a recipe.

Spices enhance the taste of a recipe, improve the dish. As for the unexpected, it comes to break the routine of daily life. By breaking the monotony, you open the door to new adventures.

MANAGE YOUR EMOTIONS AND STRESS TO BETTER COPE WITH THE UNEXPECTED
It’s perfectly normal to get carried away, balk or stress when faced with the unexpected. To get through an unexpected situation with flying colors, remember this: you control your emotions, not the other way around!

When faced with an unexpected event, it’s important not to panic, but to keep your cool. You must learn to remain calm in all circumstances. Why not take a step back for a few minutes? You’ll be able to analyze the situation and determine its seriousness. Calm will enable you to regain your composure and deal effectively with the unexpected. If it’s a group event that’s being disrupted because of a detail, try to stay alone for a moment to take stock; and avoid tormenting others too, especially if they haven’t noticed the turn of events.

Detachment allows you to find the ideal solution for the situation. A hasty solution risks becoming a problem in its own right.

IMAGINATION IN THE FACE OF THE UNPREDICTABLE
Many factors can develop creativity: creative abilities are put to the test when an unexpected event occurs. When it comes to dealing with the unexpected, stress boosts reactivity through imagination. For example, your child’s birthday party organizer tells you he can’t make it. What are you going to tell your child? Pressured by the situation, you’ll automatically force yourself to find a solution quickly, so as not to disappoint your son or daughter. In the above situation, for example, you would select the funniest uncle in the family and appoint him as the official birthday host.

After all, stress isn’t all bad. It gives you the opportunity to develop your ability to adapt.

ASK FOR HELP TO DEAL WITH THE UNEXPECTED
If you’re faced with an unexpected situation, do your best to resolve it on your own. However, if you feel you can’t cope on your own, remember that you’re not alone. You have family, friends, loved ones, a whole small team who are there to support you in any way they can. So don’t hesitate to ask for their help, if you need it. It’s also important to know how to communicate and listen to other people’s suggestions to find the best solution for dealing with the unexpected like a pro.

Here, it’s all about communication. Explain the situation clearly and calmly to those close to you, so that they don’t stress out along with you. If you’ve planned a meeting and the documents to be studied aren’t ready when you start, for example, don’t focus on them. Delegate this responsibility to someone else and, for your part, try to save time by chatting with the participants.

GET HELP IF YOU’RE SHORT OF TIME
If you’ve already organized everything according to a well-defined plan, right down to the smallest second, dealing with the unexpected will cause a time crunch. You’ve ordered an item at a specific time, but you’ve been told that it will be delivered an hour later than planned? Catastrophe, you can’t wait another hour! You’ve already made other plans, and you can’t cancel. With help, the situation can be resolved very easily: ask a friend to collect the delivery for you.

GETTING HELP BECAUSE YOU LACK THE NECESSARY SKILLS
Lack of skills can also happen when it comes to dealing with the unexpected. For example: during a presentation, you suddenly have a technical bug, and you’re a computer expert! To solve the problem, don’t be ashamed to call in a technician.

You can’t always do everything yourself, especially during an unexpected event. You may even need to call in a stranger to help you out! There’s nothing to be ashamed of: people will understand and help you if they can. If it were them in your place, wouldn’t you help them too?

LEARN FROM THE UNEXPECTED
Dealing with the unforeseen also means knowing how to question yourself. So take stock of what’s just happened:

What part of the planned scheme was disrupted?
What was the unforeseen event in question?
How did you overcome the situation?
Did you need help to solve the problem?
What solution did you come up with?
Was the solution effective?

The situation you’ve just experienced will prompt you to review your organizational methods, modify your behavior, improve your social relations, etc. Managing the unexpected means you’ll know exactly what to do if the same situation arises again in the future.

That’s right, managing the unpredictable is a lesson in life!

You can learn to tame the unpredictable

While some people see the unexpected as an opportunity to excel, others fear the unpredictable like the plague.Getting out of an unplanned situation is nothing to sneeze at…

So, what’s the craziest unexpected thing that’s ever happened to you, and how did you overcome it?