While some people thrive when dealing with unforeseen circumstances and easily adapt to the unexpected, others have a harder time. Far from everyone has a good and easy time dealing with surprises. And some real-life plot twists can be quite shocking, in the worst possible sense. Not everything is as light-hearted and fluffy as on social media.
Plot twists, while great in books and movies, might not lead to the same enthusiasm and adoration when they happen to these people in real life. Unpredictability isn’t for everyone; however, life is unpredictable, so we have to learn to deal with it.
During an earlier in-depth interview, Bored Panda spoke about how to live with the fact that life can be unpredictable at times, whether for good or for ill, with psychologist and wellbeing consultant Lee Chambers. He went into detail about building emotional and mental resilience so we’re able to weather any surprises or plot twists that life throws at us.
"As human beings, we have a desire for certainty and routine that keeps us feeling safe and able to plan what lies ahead in an organized manner. When unpredictable situations or accidents impact us, it can be traumatic, and we will likely feel a sense of disappointment, frustration, and loss," the psychologist told Bored Panda.
"It is important, however, that we embrace the fact that the world can be unpredictable and uncertain, and become more tolerant of this being a reality,” the expert noted that unpredictability might not be what many of us like. But we still have to learn to accept that it exists as a phenomenon.
“Understanding that things are sometimes out of our control helps us to accept that not everything goes to plan, and accept when things happen to us that are negative. This acceptance allows us to embrace the change and difference, and manage our expectations so we can become more resilient to the ups and downs that all our lives lead,” he said.
In the psychologist’s view, in the case of negative, even traumatic, unpredictable experiences, it isn’t always easy or straightforward to see if the individual will turn everything into greater resilience. In other words, some bad experiences don’t always lead to growth in some individuals. In other cases, however, it can have a galvanizing effect.
