Pivoting, Not Panicking 

This essay initially appeared in the Monday morning newsletter on 10/16/23.

The other Sunday, I unexpectedly had two similar experiences.

I was excited that the yoga studio by me was offering a morning class, so I got up early and made my way there. However, as I turned the corner to the studio, I could tell something was wrong.

At 15 minutes before class, the studio is usually bright, open and bustling with people getting situated before class begins. But this morning, the studio was dark, the door closed and a line of those waiting to be let in had started to form outside. It turns out that the teacher didn’t show or forgot to cancel class – but luckily, there was another instructor who showed up five minutes before class was supposed to start (she herself was planning on taking class). She impressively jumped in quickly and taught the class for us.

Later that day, I was in church and admittedly zoning out thinking about some to-do list, when I realized that again, something was wrong. It was time for the readings, but there was no movement… no one was getting up. The priest waited a moment longer, asked if someone was assigned to do the readings that night, and then jumped up to them himself.

What are the chances? Twice in one day! It’s time like this when I think to myself, what is this teaching me?

In both situations, what struck me the most is how those in charge didn’t panic, they pivoted, when things didn’t go according to plan.

This is not something I’m good at. When a plan is set in my head, I can get inflexible and irritable when things don’t go as envisioned. But pivoting and adjusting plans as necessary as new data comes in is something I want to be better at.

It makes me think about something I’ve written about before (actually one of my earliest newsletters!). A few years ago, I heard the following:

Circumstances + Emotions = Problems

In some cases, attaching emotions to circumstances turns them into problems. Take the emotions out of the equation, and the circumstances are just circumstances.

Circumstances – Emotions = Problems Circumstances  

Now, of course, there are some things you cannot – and should not – take emotions out of. But for me, this framing is really helpful for those smaller, minor – yet annoying – things.

The example I wrote about before was losing my wallet (talk about things not going according to plan). Of course, when I lost my wallet – and on a Monday morning no less! – I felt all kinds of emotions. But taking a step back from the emotions and focusing on the circumstances, I was able to look at the situation much more level-headed – okay, I lost my wallet. Now what? What do I need to do first? – and choose a more effective way to move forward. That’s pivoting, not panicking to me.

A lot of things will not go according to plan. We are not in control of the circumstances that lay ahead of us this Monday. But what I’m intent on doing this week is creating space between the trigger (something not going according to plan) and how I respond, reminding myself to “pivot, not panic” and not escalate circumstances in problems.

What do you think? How do you deal with things don’t go according to plan?