Seneca: Disaster weighs more when it surprises us; the…

Preparation is not pessimism. It is an honest acknowledgment that stable conditions can change. A relationship can end, a job can shift, a device can fail, and a plan can meet a circumstance nobody predicted. Refusing to imagine these possibilities does not protect us from them; it only makes the first impact more disorienting. Consider a few realistic reversals without dwelling on them. Where are your important documents? Who could you call? What expense could you reduce? What would you do if your current plan took twice as long? This kind of reflection often produces practical improvements, not dread. It also builds emotional flexibility: if a setback occurs, it is still hard, but not unimaginable. Today, choose one part of your life that depends on a fragile assumption and make a modest backup plan. Forethought does not control fortune; it makes you less likely to be governed by surprise.