It's always a good feeling when your trusty iPhone suddenly dies.
Staring at a fluttering green screen stuck in a cycle of rebooting is never a fun way to start the day.
That's exactly how my morning started.
Sudden changes to my plans can put me on tilt for a short while but I usually bring myself back to reality quite fast when I look at this small inconvenience in a broader context.
The way the today unfolded was actually quite funny in reality and I can't help but notice the silver lining in what seemed like bad timing.
In fact, the sequence of events that followed turned out to be incredibly fortunate.
Once I accepted my iPhone was kaput, and that I needed a replacement as soon as possible I realised that today is the last day of the financial calendar.
So, purchasing a new phone today meant it could be included in my tax report and provide also provide a potential tax deduction. If my phone broke tomorrow (July 1st) that would have been even more unfortunate (upside #1).
The next saving grace was when I found out that the phone I wanted to upgrade to was actually on sale, thanks to the EOFY sales. So the $100 saved could go towards better protection of my next device (upside #2).
It felt like luck was on my side, albeit after breaking my phone.
But here's where things get truly remarkable.
Just three days ago, I decided to make a backup of my phone's data. Just for the hell of it.
Why is that significant?
Because it took 991 days of negligence and "she'll-be-right's" for me to finally take the time to protect my valuable files and memories.
Little did I know that this seemingly random act would prove to be a stroke of luck, making the setup of my new iPhone ten times less stressful (upside #3).
Imagine the panic and frustration if I had lost all of the precious and important documents from the last three years.
What initially appeared to be bad timing was actually a series of fortunate coincidences and proves the value of being prepared even when you least expect it.
It's a reminder that life has a way of balancing out the moments of inconvenience with unexpected strokes of luck.
So, the next time you're faced with a seemingly unfortunate situation, try to look for the bright side.
You might just find a silver lining in the most unexpected places.
