A few months ago, I found myself in a situation that was equal parts stressful and hilarious. I needed to move a few things from my car to our coworking space—a table with foldable legs, a tent, and some other odds and ends. But when we went looking for something to help transport all this stuff, we came up empty. No carts, no dollies, not even a decent bag. The only things we had? A kitchen cart and a cord from my car.

At first, I’ll admit, I thought we were out of luck. A kitchen cart? Really? But instead of getting frustrated, I decided to just roll with it. In that moment, I reminded myself to take a deep breath and stay calm. Sometimes the best solutions come when we’re flexible and open-minded about what we’ve got in front of us.

We managed to fit everything on the kitchen cart and used the cord to secure it all in place. Was it the ideal solution? No. But it worked. And in that moment, I realized something pretty important about mindfulness.

Mindfulness isn’t just about finding peace in quiet moments. It’s about being present and focusing on what’s in front of you—even when things don’t go as planned. It’s easy to get frustrated or stressed out when things don’t work out the way we expect. But if we can stay calm and keep our minds clear, we might just come up with a solution we hadn’t thought of.

In the end, the kitchen cart and the cord were all we needed. They weren’t fancy, but they got the job done—and that’s exactly what mindfulness is about: being resourceful, staying present, and finding a way through the moment without letting stress take over.

Next time something doesn’t go the way you planned, try to stay grounded. Take a breath, stay open to possibilities, and remember that sometimes the simplest solutions are the best ones. You might just surprise yourself with what you can pull off when you’re calm and present.