Not on My Bingo Card
I drove out of my driveway and noticed the daffodils were all blooming in our yard. Bright yellow, fully committed. I could also hear the birds chirping like they were excited about spring.
And when I got to the end of my street… it started snowing.
Not flurries. Actual snow. Sticking to the windshield.
In April.
I sat there at the stop sign thinking, well… that was not on my bingo card.
And honestly, that phrase has been coming up a lot lately.
No matter how much we plan, organize, or try to stay ahead of things… life has a way of throwing in squares we didn’t even know were on our proverbial bingo card.
Sometimes it’s small:
• The Monday you carefully mapped out gets blown up by one phone call
• A simple errand turns into a two-hour ordeal
• Technology decides today is not the day it’s going to cooperate with you
Sometimes it’s bigger:
• A conversation with your mom goes completely sideways
• Your department at work gets eliminated, with no warning
• Your best friend tells you she’s getting divorced
And sometimes, if we’re being fair, “not on my bingo card” indicates a pleasant surprise:
• An work opportunity shows up that you weren’t planning for
• Your sister, who’s been trying to get pregnant for years, shares she’s expecting a baby boy
• You almost missed your flight, and when flight attendant sees your panicked face, she casually moves you into first class
Whether it’s good or bad, that feeling is the same at first:
Wait… what?
That moment of disorientation. Where you feel like you need to catch up to what just happened to you.
We like to think we’re prepared. We like to feel like we’ve got a handle on things. I mean, my entire job is about planning. But when something shows up totally unexpected, it reminds us… sometimes the plan is not the plan.
What I’ve noticed is this: our reaction matters more than the event.
Because the event is already here. It’s on our bingo card whether we like it or not.
So then it becomes:
• Do I react immediately, or give myself a minute to process?
• Do I jump to worst-case scenarios, or stay with what I actually know?
• Do I resist it, or ask, “okay… now what?”
Not everything needs a dramatic response.
And not everything unexpected is permanent.
Back to the snow.
It didn’t ruin my day. It didn’t stop spring from coming. It didn’t send us back to January. It was just… a weird, out-of-place moment that didn’t match the story I had in my head about what April is “supposed” to look like.
That’s the part worth paying attention to.
A lot of what throws us off isn’t what happens—it’s that it doesn’t match our expectation.
So when something shows up this month that makes you pause, take a breath, or say, that was not on my bingo card…
You don’t have to have the full answer right away.
You just have to decide your next move.
And maybe—just maybe—you’ll remember to leave a little extra space on your board for the unexpected.
This Week’s Cool Ideas & Resources
The Obstacle Is the Way
This book by Ryan Holiday, now on its 10th anniversary, offers a straightforward way to think about setbacks and surprises. The idea is simple but useful: the thing in your way might actually be the path forward.
WHOOP There it Is
Looking to improve your health, wellness and sleep this year? WHOOP is a wrist‑worn wearable designed to track health‑related metrics such as heart rate, heart rate variability, and sleep. Some people explore devices like this to better understand patterns related to wellness and recovery. (Note: There are a number of wearable technologies available today, including WHOOP, that provide data on sleep and other health‑related metrics. Individuals may choose to review available options to determine what aligns with their personal preferences.)
A Great AI Tool You Might Love
Notion AI can take messy thoughts, notes, or to-do lists and turn them into something organized and usable—whether that’s a plan, a summary, or a clearer next step. It’s especially helpful when your brain feels scattered, giving you a starting point when you’re not quite sure how to move forward. Check out all the cool ways this simple tool can help you! (Note: Tools like Notion AI are part of a broader group of applications that use artificial intelligence to assist with writing, planning, and organizing information. Features and results may differ by platform and use case.)
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