This morning was supposed to be simple. I whipped up a breakfast sandwich so beautiful that I briefly considered starting a food blog. Eggs, cheese, perfectly golden toast—it was the culinary equivalent of a mic drop.

I was ready to scroll social media while savoring my creation, but then I realized I couldn’t see a thing. My glasses were upstairs.

No big deal, right? I headed up to my bedside table, leaving my sandwich alone downstairs, blissfully ignorant of the chaos to come. Now, here’s where things take a turn. Enter Gertie: my 170-pound mastiff with the emotional sensitivity of a poet and the body and appetite of a linebacker. I can’t believe I abandoned my sandwich. It was such a giant dog breed owner rookie mistake. Gertie saw my unattended sandwich and thought, Finally, a snack worthy of my greatness.

When I got back downstairs, the crime scene was evident: crumbs on the floor, drool on the table, and Gertie looking at me like, What? I saved you from all those calories.

At that moment, my husband’s voice popped into my head, laughing as he always does when I say, “It’s not a big deal.” He teases me because I say it a lot. But the truth is, this isn’t just a wife catchphrase; it’s my secret weapon when I'm trying to teach perspective to someone who isn't me (like one of my kids).

But as I felt the annoyance start to build into a much more significant inconvenience than it actually was, the therapist in me was running a mental marathon, silently asking all the reflective questions:

• Will this matter in an hour? (Spoiler: it won’t.)

• What’s a bigger deal I’ve experienced? (Um, so many things. Sandwich theft doesn’t even crack the top 1000.)

• What am I grateful for? (That Gertie didn’t decide to eat the table, too.)

  
  

I took a deep breath, recognized and acknowledged my mistake, and chose calm. I whipped up a new sandwich in 90 seconds and moved on, leaving Gertie undefeated in her streak of breakfast-related shenanigans.

The GRACE Method: Turning Mishaps Into Mastery

When life steals your sandwich (or otherwise throws you off your game), here’s how you can master your emotions with the GRACE Method:

G - Ground: Pause. Breathe. Feel your feet on the floor and remind yourself you’re here, and it’s not the end of the world. For me, that meant staring at Gertie and not screaming, “WHY?”

R - Reflect: Ask yourself, Is this a big deal, or does it just feel like one right now? Remember the bigger challenges you’ve faced and how this compares. In the sandwich saga, I reminded myself that I’ve survived way worse than Gertie’s snack attack.

A - Assess: What are your choices? You can react impulsively, or you can handle it with humor and grace. Sure, I could’ve yelled, but instead, I chose to make peace with my frying pan and start fresh.

C - Cultivate Gratitude: Even in the chaos, there’s always something to appreciate. I was grateful that Gertie didn’t knock over my coffee or require a trip to the vet. Look for the silver lining—it’s always there.

E - Engage with Intention: Once you’ve calmed down, respond thoughtfully. Decide what action aligns with your values and goals. For me, it was making another sandwich and saving my energy for something that actually matters.

The Sandwich Rule of Life

Life is messy, chaotic, and full of Gertie moments, but it’s also rich with opportunities to grow. Next time you’re tempted to overreact, remember GRACE:

• Ground yourself in the present.

• Reflect on what really matters.

• Assess your options.

• Cultivate gratitude.

• Engage with intention.

  
  

Gertie will always be the queen of stubborn sensitivity, and I will always choose peace. Life’s too short to lose it over sandwiches. Don’t let little mishaps derail your day. Stay calm, laugh it off, and keep moving forward. You can always make another sandwich—and your life will be so much better for it.

About the author

Chelsea Jackson Garcia is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Texas and an NBCC National Certified Counselor. She owns SHAW Psychotherapy, an inclusive private practice in Waco, TX, specializing in adolescents and women.

Disclaimer: The information presented and contained is for entertainment value only (Just remember, laughter is great, but therapy is even better) and should not be construed as mental health service or medical care.