Life is full of surprises. It’s easy to deal with the enjoyable ones, isn’t it? But how do we handle those curve balls that knock us off our feet? We all go through it as some point in our lives: getting laid off at work, a serious illness or accident, the death of a close family member, a financial disaster. It’s particularly difficult when it’s unexpected. We’re caught off guard and the shock is more than we can bear. In those moments, all I want to do is curl up in a ball, pull the covers over my head and tell the world to …  go away. How about you?

That’s why I wrote Dream BIGGER – to offer solid practical ideas for getting your life back on track. There’s a whole section in the book devoted to this, but here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Recognize and honour the shock of what you’re going through. You’re dealing with a disappointed dream, a plan you had for your life that isn’t working out the way you’d imagined, so you need to allow time to grieve what has been lost.

2. When you’ve moved past the grieving stage, it’s time to accept what has happened as your new reality. Appreciate all the good that exists in your life – supportive family and friends, the beauty of a sunny day, the comfort of your bed at night, a soothing cup of tea.

3. Next, consider what you can do, rather than focusing on what is no longer possible. Make a list of your options, ask close friends for ideas and support, and start saying ‘yes’ to new possibilities.

It’s all part of dreaming bigger – seeing the challenge as an opportunity to move in a new direction and create a life beyond what you could have imagined for yourself.