How to Turn any Inconvenient Situation into an Opportunity

Occasionally, we encounter situations that are inconvenient. It is usually something unexpected like raining on a sunny day, or meetings that get cancelled. Yup, things like this happen and it is out of our control.

So, what do you do to turn the situation around? How can you turn something so inconvenient into something positive?

Let it go.

Inconveniences in life are inevitable. No matter how hard we try to avoid, they do happen. So, the easiest and the best thing do is to let go. When it suddenly rained even though the weather app indicated that it’s going to be a sunny day, don’t curse and blame the app.

Take a deep breath, take out your umbrella, and keep on walking.

Focus on the next step.

The great thing about letting go is that it allows you to focus on the next step. Instead of sulking and blaming the universe for conspiring against you, thinking about the next step is a smarter and more productive move.

Last week I was supposed to meet a potential client. So, I woke up early, took a shower, did my hair, and prepared myself for the two-hour commute.

Before the meeting, I stopped by at Starbucks to have my fill of cappuccino. While waiting for my coffee, I opened my email and something unexpected happened. The meeting was cancelled. I was just a block away from the office only to find out that it wasn’t going to happen.

I was disappointed. But I thought there must be a way to take advantage of the situation. I took a deep breath and sipped my coffee.

I relaxed and switched to brainstorming mode.

After hearing the bad news, it’s understandable to feel bad and disappointed. But after acknowledging your feelings, switch your brain into planning mode. What is your next step? How can you turn things around?

Be creative.

When you let go of the bad things and focus on the good ones, you open your mind to new opportunities. Be creative. Think outside the box.

After commuting for two hours only to find out that the meeting was cancelled, I thought of ways on how I could be productive. So, I took out my pen and a piece of paper and started writing.

While I was at Starbucks enjoying my cappuccino, new ideas were revealed to me. I thought of a new strategy on how to connect with advertisers for my blog. I found a revolutionary way to get testimonials for my writing services. And it gave me the idea for this post.

Turning an inconvenient situation into something productive might not come easy at first. But if you focus on the next step and find ways to turn every encounter into an opportunity, you will become more resilient and more resourceful. This could also lead to confidence and can help abate anxiety.

If you trust yourself to turn inconveniences into opportunities, you aim yourself with courage instead of fear. You will be more willing to take risks. And the more risks you take, the closer you are to achieving your goals.

Image courtesy of FreedigitalPhotos.Net/imagerymajestic,

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Irene Enriquez is a freelance writer and content strategist who loves to help startups grow their business. She has been writing for the web for more than four years and has worked with companies around the world. Want to get build a blog for your startup? Download her ebook How to Effectively Marketing Your Startup Using a Blog. It has practical and actionable tips that are perfect for startup founders and CEOs like you.