E03: Potholes: The unexpected bumps

My name is Alvat Garewal.

Life is full of unexpected bumps, moments that shake us, slow us down, and sometimes even stop us in our tracks. We all encounter situations that test our patience, resilience, and ability to move forward. Some challenges seem minor at first but leave a lasting impact, while others appear daunting but pass quicker than we expect. How we deal with these moments can make all the difference in our journey.

Transcript

Potholes

Hello and welcome. My name is Alvat Garewal.

Today's topic of conversation is potholes.

Now, I know what you’re thinking—potholes? Yes, potholes. We see them everywhere, dodging them on roads, feeling that uncomfortable jolt when we don’t quite avoid them. But today, I want to take a different approach and talk about potholes in life.

I recently came across an interesting experiment. A car  that was driven at 20 MPH over a pothole, had quite a lot of damage to the tyres. Then, another car was driven over the same pothole at increasing speeds—20, 40, 60, all the way up to 120 MPH. The result? At higher speeds, there was no damage to the car, but at lower speeds, the impact was much worse.

This got me thinking—how does this apply to life?

We all face potholes in life. Problems, setbacks, obstacles—they show up when we least expect them. And much like driving over a pothole, how we handle them determines the damage they do.

If we go through these challenges slowly, dwelling on them, letting them consume us, they can cause more damage. The longer we sit with a problem, the more we feel it, the deeper it seems to go. However, if we don’t let them define us, if we push through, we come out the other side with far less harm.

Let me give you an example. someone who lost their job unexpect    edly. They spent weeks, even months, stuck in the setback, dwelling on the unfairness of the situation. The stress built up, their motivation drained, and their confidence took a hit. Eventually, they realized they had to move forward. They started applying for new positions, networking, learning new skills. Soon enough, they found a better job, one that suited them far more than the previous one ever did. If they had powered through the setback earlier, they might have saved themselves a lot of stress and worry.

Another example—imagine someone going through a tough breakup. They keep replaying the past, analyzing every conversation, and wondering what went wrong. The longer they dwell on it, the more pain they feel. But the moment they choose to move forward, to focus on themselves, their growth, and new experiences, they start healing. The breakup, like a pothole, is still there in their journey, but it no longer holds them back.

Of course, not every problem can be passed over quickly. Some potholes need fixing before you can move forward safely. Some issues in life require time, effort, and care to repair. A health issue, for example, may need attention, patience, and care before you can move past it. But the key is not to let problems keep you stuck indefinitely. The longer you stay around a problem, the longer it lasts.

"You know, as we face new potholes in life, it's natural to look back and wonder if we could have handled past problems differently. Sometimes, we may find ourselves thinking, 'If only I had done this sooner, or made a different choice, maybe things would have turned out better.'

Reflecting on past challenges is important because it gives us insight into how we've grown and what we've learned. However, it's important not to dwell too long on the 'what-ifs.' It’s easy to get caught up in regret, but the key is to look at how far we've come and how we've handled situations with the knowledge and resources we had at the time.

For instance, looking back on that tough job loss or breakup we mentioned earlier—could they have done something different to minimize the damage? Maybe they could have asked for help sooner or sought support from others. With hindsight, we can often see opportunities for better choices. But here's the thing—those moments of struggle shaped us. They helped us build resilience and gave us the tools to handle future challenges with more confidence.

So, the next time you’re facing a challenge, don't just think about how to move forward—also take a moment to reflect on how past challenges were navigated. Ask yourself: What would I have done differently then, and what can I apply from that lesson now? This reflection can help you handle your current potholes with a bit more wisdom."

Don’t let life’s potholes hold you back for too long though. Keep moving, keep pushing forward, and you’ll find the road smooths out sooner than you think.

Let me know your thoughts. How do you deal with the potholes in your life?

Take care, and as always,
 You are in my thoughts.