Every now and again, life throws you a curve ball, or to use a more Australian phrase, a ‘bouncer’. I can’t explain why, or even if there is a why! I would say the same about dealing with this situation as I would about any other life incident. It’s not what happens, it’s what happens next.

You are going to meet people who you judge incorrectly, you are going to be blindsided by people unworthy of your trust, you are going to hear things said about you that are plainly and simply untrue. It happens.

Sometimes you will be in a position to take stock and change direction. Sometimes you may be lucky enough to be able to leave the surroundings, the environment, the workplace or the group. Sometimes however you will be forced to find a way through. How you do that is what makes you special or what makes you resilient or provides you with the opportunity to learn.

For the most part, it is my experience that ‘what happens next’ sets the tone for you in the immediate future, post incident. It determines if you get rocked emotionally or handle yourself like a Zen master. The Zen master bit, I’m not so good at, but most times I can pull myself together enough to get through the emotional stuff, to then start to plan, what happens next, using my brain not my heart.

I’m not saying its easy, I’m not even saying it is always possible. But it is worth giving it a go. What happens next is up to you, no-one else.