When the unexpected occurs it is time to relax and ponder the universality of things.  Deep thought in a philosophical bent can provide respite, probably albeit brief, from the stress of the unexpected.

Philosophically universal logic is one of my favorite concepts to noodle on.  Universal logic is said to be true in all possible contexts without creating a contradiction.

I can spin my wheels for hours with both arguments and counter-argument both for and against the universality of logic.  It really is a distracting pass time.

Managing the Unexpected

Deep (or perhaps shallow) philosophy aside, this post is really about holding your reaction about a surprise until you can be sure to react appropriately.

The biggest challenge with dealing with a surprise is having the ability to determine the impacts, both on yourself and others.  Is this a good, bad or irrelevant surprise?

Whether initially positive or negative you want to maximize the effect toward the positive by responding logically (versus emotional chaos).

Hold the Emotions

While human emotions are a critical aspect driving our behaviour the emotional reaction may feel good but these rapid responses can lead to regrets and even make a good or bad scenario worse.

I believe it to be universally true that reasoned logical analysis will always support a better outcome than just forging ahead with what feels right.

Taking the time to parse the causes and impacts of the surprise is rarely easy to do.  It does mean pausing and thinking through the alternate ways to address the situation, but the benefits make it well worth the effort.