Yesterday, I wrote about the false premise of a ruined life.

After I published it, I continued to think about the ramifications of realizing your life can’t be ruined. It can be altered. It can change. You can certainly hit a setback.

But there’s too many unpredictable events and opportunities ahead of you to determine that whatever negative experience you just endured has permanently ruined your life.

It is when you realize that your life is ahead of you and not dictated by your past that you can achieve true freedom.

The fear and uncertainty that comes with an event like getting fired or divorced can be crippling. It can keep you down and prevent you from moving forward.

But within a negative event are the ingredients for a fearless life.

First, there’s the idea that it can’t get any worse. When bad luck hits, it often feels like you’ve hit rock bottom. The other side of that rock is there’s nowhere to go but up.

When you’re down, there’s an inclination to circle the wagons and be conservative. But another way to look at it is you have nothing to lose. It could be exactly the right time to go on offense and start creating opportunities.

This is the time to realize that most people like to help. When bad things happen, your real support network will reveal itself. Buoyed by that network, you should feel empowered to ask for help and start creating opportunities for yourself.

Life is constantly presenting new chances and opportunities. It could be as simple as meeting someone at a party who needs someone just like you. Maybe you get to talking to someone while you’re working out at a fitness club or playing an intramural sport.

Opportunities come when you talk to people. And when things are down, there’s not much left to fear. Take advantage of that feeling, look forward, and be open minded to what may come next.