There will be blood

We like to make plans, prepare and think we're ready for when the bad times come. Or sometimes when life is good we delude ourselves into thinking that it will keep going on forever, following an ascending slope into happiness and well-being. But that's not the case, isn't it? Troubles come out of nowhere, sometimes when you least expect it, and they seem to never come alone.

A great man once said "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face". This quote belongs to Mike Tyson, and he made getting punched in the face and punching other people's faces his job, but it's a good metaphor for what happens when harm comes your way, even if it's not always physical.

Nothing can get you ready for the unexpected, no back-up plans work 100% and no safety measures are completely reliable. Fortunes are lost over night, injuries cripple athletes for life every day and violence against innocent people is incredibly common. Why even mention this? Especially because that's the question that comes through most people's mind when experiencing hardship. Why? The answer: there is no answer. Sometimes there is no reason and undeserving things happen to undeserving people, both good and bad.

Back to the face punch metaphor. When a hard strike hits you in the head the world around starts to seemingly spin, your eyes begin to water and you're looking for things to hold on to, even though there aren't any around. Sounds familiar? That's pretty much what happens when you lose someone you care about, or your job that you badly needed, or your health. Nothing makes sense and things that used to support you are no longer strong enough to do it.

Next, there's two things that can happen. You can either get knocked-out and then the "fight" is over, or, if you're lucky enough and you can still "keep your hands up", instincts will take over. There's no rational thinking in that moment, "training" (or life experience) is the only force that will keep you going through the storm.

As cliche as it might sound, life is a struggle and we need to be reminded of it more often. Sometimes it seems like you're winning, but then that "punch" comes out of nowhere and down you go. But it works the other way around, too. If you manage to weather the storm, the clouds will clear and sunlight will follow.

One thing to remember, though: even if you came to win, you might still lose. But if you came to lose, you will definitely lose. There's no shortage of unexpected surprises potentially coming our way every day. How we respond to them, well, that's up to every individual's character and personal strength. The good thing about these qualities is that they can be enhanced and improved even in the face of adversity, and sometimes, especially in the face of adversity. Take your punches and give some back.