Life does not always go as planned. When everything you envisioned for yourself has yet to come true and the chances of what you had hoped to become slim, it is easy to feel completely defeated. As a person who frequently likes to plan and envision their future, I know what is like for what you had planned and hoped to not come true.

Indeed, life does not always turn out just how you planned it, but your unexpected reality is okay as well. Whether religious or not, I think something important to realize is everything in our life is for a purpose. Sure, the purpose may not be the one we would like. Both good and bad things will happen in each and every one of our lives, but it is so important to not let it defeat you.

At the moment, whether long or short, unexpected situations have the power to shape us. They may teach us something we need to learn so that we will be prepared for the next great but oh so challenging thing in store for us. They may show us a new passion and desire to learn more about a subject that we had never once considered. They may help us to meet new people that we desperateness need in our life to improve it.

Whether or not an unexpected circumstance shapes you in one of the three ways mentioned above, it is important to never lose hope. Each day of our life will not be great, but I think it is worthwhile to be thankful to live another day and experience what is in store for us.

"She stood in the storm, and when life did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails"

-Elizabeth Edwards