There is always one, no matter how badly things go.
When we start planning our event, we think all will go according to plan, but chances are that it will not. First, until your event, plans will change many times. And sometimes, your event will be postponed or cancelled because life is such. And that can leave us hurt, disappointed and with a bitter taste in our mouths.
And I get it; it's bloody hard to let go of something you worked a lot for and spent nights planning and then not having the joy of savouring the whole event. You can stomp your feet and be a toddler for a while. It's ok.
Last week we were supposed to have a guest around, an old friend we haven't seen for many years. Both of us were tired by Friday, and it's the day in the week which is the busiest in our household. Still, we put things aside to prepare emotionally and physically because our friend can be a bit of a tornado when it comes to human interaction—fun but intense.
Below is the photo of our table ready for the late lunch, as he said he would be around our home by 2 pm. He never arrived, though he called several times to say he was coming.
So naturally, we were both disappointed by it, first and then relieved by it. We needed this experience to reevaluate our friendship and see it for what it is. We spent a lovely evening with our daughter, drinking Mimosa's and enjoying the food. Anna recited her poetry that Carsten missed at the soiree. And we had a lie-in on Saturday, which was not on the cards before.
Also, because we thought he would stay with us, I cancelled the other gathering I was supposed to hold on Sunday. And yes, I would have loved to host it, but the reality was that I was tired and in desperate need of a quiet day before travelling on Monday. There were many good thing that came out of the situation.
So I am trying to convey that if your event gets cancelled, expect to feel disappointed and annoyed but look for the silver lining. It's always there if you look hard enough.
The charity event I organised in January was postponed three times :) One of the times was just a few days before it because of tube strikes. And thank God for that because it gave us more time to prepare. We were so overly optimistic about how much things take.
The things that make the disappointment less hard on us are when we enjoy the process of planning and organising. Find joy and pleasure in it and hold loosely to the idea that your event will happen. And if you don't like panning and organising, hire someone that loves doing that.
And if you find it hard to let go of control, I highly recommend doing activities outside your work that take you out of your comfort zone, such as Going Ape. I did it last year, and God was terrifying. I wouldn't say I like heights, but I did it through swearing, sweating and great duress. I felt like a God after it. Find those activities that are safe but push your comfort zone a bit. Do it with a friend to get support and laugh about it later and pack plenty of pantyliners :)
Next is a photo of me peeing myself from pure fear.
The bitterness of things not going to plan; will always be there, but so is the silver lining. I hope you all find it.
Let me know in the comments below if this resonates with you.