It’s Friday the 13th! Are you superstitious? Do you have any weird routines or behaviors you avoid on a day like today? In our everyday lives, lots of us have regimens, habits and tasks we complete based on deep set patterns of functioning and the belief of how things should flow. We trust our instincts and these small rituals to keep us on track and help the day unfold with less stress.

Be it chance, luck, fate or the divine plan for you life, we must at times embrace that there are variables surrounding us that we cannot control. For instance, you may prepare feverishly for an interview, have on your best suit, get on the freeway and get stuck behind a disastrous car accident. In those moments, what is your typical thought process? Do you think maybe the job is not meant to be? Perhaps this is God’s way of telling you the company would not be a good fit? Do you consider that maybe, just maybe this is simply life unfolding. And there is nothing you could have done to foresee the accident and it has nothing to do with you or your fate of getting the job. Sometimes we talk ourselves out of great things and opportunities based on random circumstances. You can hope for the best in any situation, but if you find yourself facing a myriad of obstacles not planned for – don’t give into thoughts of doubt and negativity.

I believe in signs, but mostly based on my natural instincts and gut emotion. The tangible events around me often feel completely out of my control and I just chop it up to life moving forward. Don’t get sidetracked and miss out on something that can be good just because you had to jump through a few more hoops than planned.

A funny story – I was traveling home to see my family for Thanksgiving in 2007. I had a connection in Chicago and even if we had landed on time, it would have been near impossible to make my other flight due to Chicago O’Hare being a massive universe of an airport. We landed about 30 minutes behind schedule and here I was at least 30 minutes (walking time) from my gate. I knew I wouldn’t make it even if I ran. I was already pouring sweat from anxiety, walk-running and dragging my carry-on. Something told me to keep going (the gut). Now, I knew I could not have controlled what time we landed in Chicago, nor could I have changed the flight time of my connecting plane to Lincoln.

I kept trudging along. I arrived at my gate a whole 45 minutes past boarding time weary, exhausted, sweating like a dog with my hair frizzed beyond recognition. There was flight attendant standing by the open door to the jet bridge. She smiles and says “Are you Ms. Brown?” I say yes…completely stunned. She then says “Your other flight called, we knew we were waiting for one passenger to make their connection.” They had held the plane for just little ole’ me! Once I boarded, I had a nice window seat waiting for me and the gentleman I sat by smiled and said “welcome aboard, we were all waiting for you.” I made it home for an awesome Thanksgiving with my family.

Do not be discouraged by anything my friends. You never know what is on the other side of an obstacle. Sometimes once you push through, the sweetest things in life are simply waiting on you.

With Love & Light,

Tina B.