Life can be full of unexpected surprises. No matter how much we plan, prepare, and set out to accomplish certain goals in life, life usually has other plans.

It’s in those crisis moments when we feel like we are off our “path”. A layoff, a breakup, a divorce, a move, or a financial emergency can derail your life order and have you feeling out of sorts.

When I was 22, I had a series of events that occurred that threw everything off. Within a period of six months, I dealt with a breakup, a layoff, a car accident, and the passing of my grandmother. On top of that, all the stress was literally making me sick.

At a fairly young age, when I was trying to make it on my own, it felt like everything was working against me. Everything felt hard.

It’s been quite a few years since that time and I’ve experienced the ebb and flow of life – really amazing upswings and also some tough downturns. A few years ago, I found myself deep in student loan debt, unable to find a full-time job, and feeling hopeless about my debt situation. Luckily, I’ve been able to climb out of that too.

Although things are better for me now, there are always ups-and-downs in life – and most of the time, they affect your finances, too. It’s important to be able to cope when things do take a turn for the worse and continue on as best you can.

Here are a few tips on how to cope when your finances, or other areas of life, don’t go as planned.

Practice Gratitude

This might feel like the…

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