The saying "April showers bring May flowers" means good times come after adversity. But what if April is bringing you a few too many showers? Sometimes, life comes at you all at once, and it can be hard to be positive and wait for the metaphorical May flowers to arrive when you're in the midst of one personal crisis after another. So, what do you do when April is simply a deluge, and May seems so far away?

When "life happens," here are some things you can do:

Lessen the reins

There's an old Yiddish expression: "We plan, God laughs." We'd like to think we can control and plan out most aspects of our lives, but the universe has a way of humbling us from time to time. Holding rigid expectations of what life should be like can cause one to fall apart if one small thing goes against that. Simply realizing that you don't have as much control over your life as you'd like to can help you roll with the punches when they come. 

Give yourself grace

When our "best-laid plans" go awry, it can be devastating. It's okay to be disappointed, sad, or angry when life throws obstacles or hardships in our path. Allow yourself to acknowledge the loss and release your emotions. And, if you need to, talk it out with someone to process it and carry on.

Take a second

Something came up, and now your plans are ruined! But maybe not. At first glance it can seem that way. But take a pause to assess your options and future actions. Perhaps there's still a way to make your plans work, or at least partially. Maybe you can secure support from others to keep your plans, or they can be rescheduled. Is there an opportunity that you're not immediately seeing? You won't know unless you allow time to analyze the situation and consider options instead of just throwing in the towel.

Ignore it

Are you a people pleaser who is always willing to help and says "yes" more often than you should? It comes from a sincere place, but it can sometimes come at a detriment to your own plans or mental health. It's important to recognize when an issue is actually not your problem. It might hurt someone's feelings or leave them to possibly deal with it poorly without you, but it's your decision whether to ignore it, give ancillary support, or ultimately help out. It's up to you, but make sure you do what's best for you.

Have Faith

Just as the good times don't last forever, neither do the tough times. Have faith that you'll make it through the challenges and have the opportunity to come out the other side stronger and wiser. Be thankful in good times and in tough times. Remember, you're not alone.

Life will get in your way now and again. It's not an "if"; it's a "when". When it does, it's okay to give yourself a moment to be upset and then pause, assess if the problem is really yours to take on entirely, consider your options, and have hope that at the other end of the rainstorm is a rainbow waiting for you.