We’ve all heard the saying, “Everything happens for a reason.”

Sometimes, we think we have it all figured out. We know what we want, we see our goals clearly, and we’re ready to sprint toward the finish line. But life has a funny way of shaking up our expectations. Just when we think we’re close, things shift, and suddenly, the vision we had for ourselves no longer matches reality. It’s easy to feel discouraged in those moments.

Life is full of reality checks, and when they come, frustration can creep in. It’s tempting to want to give up or push forward blindly. But often, those moments are a reminder to pause, take a breath, and reassess. Sometimes we need to slow down and rethink the path we’re on to make sure it’s still aligned with our true goals.

With time and reflection, we often realize that things unfolded exactly as they needed to. Whether it’s the universe’s doing or sheer coincidence, we’ve all had those moments of looking back and realizing that maybe we weren’t ready for that life change after all. Or, perhaps, we’re thankful we didn’t rush into something we thought we wanted.

For example, my husband and I have spent the past few years working hard to become debt-free with the dream of building a second home in North Carolina for our future retirement. We felt ready. We had purchased land, tackled most of our debt, and even picked out house plans. Everything seemed to be falling into place.

But when we took a closer look at the situation, we had a reality check. While our dream will happen, we realized there are still steps we need to take before we’re truly ready. So, we’re reshuffling our priorities, taking more time to put ourselves in an even better financial position. We’ll keep working toward being completely debt-free while staying open to new possibilities for when and what we will build.

In the end, slowing down was exactly what we needed. And maybe, just maybe, that’s why things happen the way they do.