Having an extended vacation abroad has been such a blessing but I will be honest, lately the challenges I’ve been facing have been a test for my patience and peace of mind. Recently, my phone broke. That might sound like something small, but when your entire life is connected to that one device, it can feel like your whole world stopped.

At first, I was frustrated. No phone meant no access to my bank, no access to my phone carrier, and no way to reset any of my passwords because everything went through two-step verification. I remember thinking, How am I supposed to function without my phone? Then I reminded myself of two words that alway bring me back: gratitude and alignment.

One of the practices that has truly grounded me is learning how to stay present. I’ve learned that when things are supposed to work out, they will. And when they don’t seem to be working out, they still are, but just in a different way than expected. This mindset shift has helped me get back to my power, and instead of spiraling into stress, I can allow myself to trust.

Once I stopped fighting what was happening, the answers started showing up. I had a trip already planned to the States in only a week which meant I could just simply grab a knew phone then. I also realized I still had my iPad, which meant I could access my flight information and use my portable wifi to call for a ride share once I landed. $20 would give me 5mb of usage which was more than enough. My Spanish teacher even stepped in unexpectedly and offered to let me use her phone so I could call my bank.

These small moments reminded me that I am always supported, even when it feels like Im alone with no-one or nothing to lean on.

The lesson wasn’t only about patience, it also was a reminder for me to make practical changes. Sometimes the breakdown is simply showing up to show us where we need to build stronger. It’s showing us where we need to release control and make space for life to allow us the opportunity to choose a different response. in the past, I would have lost my mind complaining and stressing out about having to travel internationally without my phone. Instead, I realized that I needed alternate ways to access my important accounts, if everything is connected to one device, then losing it meant losing access to everything. As soon as I got a new phone I created backup options and added email authentications so I could still manage my accounts no matter where I was or what device I had.

Breaking my phone abroad was inconvenient, and it forced me to fly back to the States to replace it, but in that inconvenience, there was a lesson and growth. It reminded me that alignment is not about controlling everything, but about trusting that even in the middle of what looks like chaos, things are still working out in my favor.