Lemonade Out of Lemons: Choosing Your Mindset When Plans Break Down
We were on our way back to Roanoke from Charleston, South Carolina—happily rolling along with our ten ton fifth wheel behind us—when our truck decided to change our plans.
The check engine light came on.
The truck stopped shifting properly.
And suddenly, continuing down the highway with a large RV was no longer an option.
Word to the wise, when you’re towing your home, you don’t push your luck.
We took the next exit, pulled off the highway, and there it was—almost comically timed—a sign for a state park with camping just a few miles away. We followed it, pulled into the campground office, and explained the situation honestly: “We don’t know when we’ll be able to leave.”
They welcomed us anyway.
From there came the practical reality. We started calling GMC dealerships. One told us it would be weeks before they could even look at the truck. Another? They bent over backwards to get us on the schedule. A tow truck was arranged for Monday and the logistics, at least, were moving.
And then we just… sat there. Looked at each other. What does this mean?
We’ve already been gone two weeks.
The moms aren’t going to be thrilled if we’re gone longer.
We’ll miss a few events we were really looking forward to.
I had to cancel a weekend trip to Maine to see our daughter.
None of this was part of the plan.
But here’s what was true:
We had our home with us and everything we need to be comfortable.
We are our own bosses and as long as the Starlink® connection is good, we can work as usual.
We were parked in the most adorable campground—one we might never have discovered otherwise.
And most importantly, we recognized what was and wasn’t in our control and framed our mindsets to make the most of it.
There’s a quote from Epictetus (a Stoic philosopher who lived over 2,000 years ago) that I love and keep coming back to:
“We control our reasoned choice and all acts that depend on moral will. What’s not under our control are the body and any of its parts, our possessions, parents, siblings, children, or country—anything with which we might associate.”
This experience was about a truck breakdown—but it could just as easily be about a delayed flight, bad weather on vacation, a missed opportunity, someone else’s bad attitude, or a plan that simply falls apart.
The question isn’t why the unexpected happens. The question is: How do you respond when it does?
Do you fixate on the inconvenience—or do you look for the unexpected gift?
Do you fight reality—or accept it and adjust?
Do you let frustration lead—or perspective?
We are far from perfect, but we are deeply grateful for a mindset that allows us to pause and say: Okay. This wasn’t the plan. Now what’s possible?
Sometimes turning lemons into lemonade isn’t about positivity for positivity’s sake. It’s about understanding the one thing you truly control: how you handle the situation.
And when you choose that wisely, even an unplanned stop can turn into a gift you didn’t know you needed.
Cheers,
Bethany