Life can throw some interesting (read: sh*tty) curveballs our way.

And when you’re running your own business — where the stakes are already sky-high and everything feels “personal” — those curveballs can be especially debilitating.

Recently, I got hit with a couple of curveballs (some big, some small) that carried an important reminder:

On dark, sad and sucky days, no matter how bad it gets …

You get to choose how you’re going to deal, and how you’re going to heal.

The bright spot is, as you grow older + wiser? Your choices are probably getting smarter. “Now-You” probably makes better choices than “Old-You” used to make. (That’s definitely something to celebrate!)

So, here’s my story. I’m not telling it to gain sympathy. But I am hoping it will serve as a reminder that you’re never alone in your grief — and that in every moment of suckdom, there is always a choice.

. . .

Last month, very suddenly, I lost both my Pop and one of my best friends to cancer.

They died one day apart. It was a crushing blow, to lose such beautiful souls.

One week later, I fractured my foot. It was an injury that I could have prevented, if I had listened to my body, yielded to my intuition, yada yada. Now I’m immobile for at least 6 weeks, forcing me to slow down (Universe, I get it. Message received!) … and allow my husband to wait on me like a princess.

Yes, I get that this sounds like a fantasy scene out of a Victorian Era erotic novel, but for someone who cherishes her freedom, it’s been a challenging experience to allow someone to fully take care of me. (Universe, I hear you. Message double-received!)

That same week — while grieving two deaths and nursing a broken foot, without all of my usual forms of stress relief (like hitting the gym) … I had a major technology / customer service #EpicFail that I had to fix, right away. I was proud of how I dealt with it, but DAMN. Not my finest hour, that’s for sure.

. . .

Life is messy and sh*tballs happen.

We all know this. There’s no getting around the clichés.

And while you can’t always prevent sadness from clawing its way into your heart, you can always choose how you want to respond.

You can choose …

: To take the time that you need to grieve. (“Hey, clients? I’m outta commission this week. Thanks for understanding.”)

Instead of:

: Forcing yourself back into the saddle, too soon. (“No emotions for me, please! Tappity-typity-tap.”)

You can choose …

: To find the lesson in the pain. And, y’know. Actually LEARN it. (“Guess I’ve been pushing too hard, lately. Message received.”)

Instead of:

: Throwing a tantrum when your body breaks down. (“This SUCKS! Why did this happen to meeee? Get away from me, nice, helpful husband! You suck, too!”)

You can choose …

: To deal with minor mistakes gracefully and move on. (“Oops! All fixed. Time to snuggle with my pups and husband.”)

Instead of:

: Going into panic-mode and blowing things out of proportion. (“OMG! Ten people couldn’t download today’s free worksheet? I AM RUINED!”)

Choosing to respond in a healthy, empowered way isn’t always easy.

It takes work — lots of work.

But whatever it takes (a book, a talk, a good long cry, or a trained professional) remember that in the midst of every stressful, sad and seriously sucky moment, you still get to choose.

Choose love.

Choose strength.

As often as you can.

To anyone reading who’s currently going through The Absolute Worst Time Ever? I’m sending a HUGE hug. Please know that it’s going to get better.