When the Universe Sends a Refund (Sort Of)

“So let me tell you a story that happened just the other week…”

I’d flown back from Portugal, feeling quite proud of myself for being so organised—I had a training course booked, and I’d given myself plenty of time to travel. Train up to Loughborough, check into a hotel, all going smoothly.

Then I double-checked the course details for the next day.

And… the date.

The course wasn’t the next day. It was the same date—next year.  What???!

I had turned up a full year early.

Honestly, I couldn’t believe it. The wave of emotions hit fast—shock, embarrassment, frustration. How could I have made such a simple mistake? Why wasn’t I more prepared? And yes, there was that sinking feeling of “what a waste”—of time, money, and energy.

But in that moment, I remembered what we talk about in Infinite Possibilities: that every experience offers a choice. I could dwell on the mistake—or I could choose to believe that something good would come from this. I didn’t know what the gift was yet, but I had complete faith that if I chose that belief, the good would reveal itself. And that the cost would somehow be far outweighed by the benefit.

And actually, that choice itself was empowering.

That evening gave me what I hadn’t realised I needed: space. A calm, comfortable night, some reflection time, and a gentle pause in a life that had been running a bit fast.

But the real gift came in the days that followed.

The week after, every workday ended early—unexpectedly. I was still paid for the full day, but had extra hours each day to spend on my own projects, things I loved. It felt like a cosmic thank you—a refund of time, if not pounds.

Then, while preparing to publish the next interview in our Real Stories: Real Change series, I was listening to Beverly Wixon share how she shifted her life by noticing abundance in new ways—not just in her salary, but in all the little things that flowed into her life.

And that’s when it hit me.

I already believe abundance comes in many forms—but I realised I hadn’t been noticing or acknowledging the full picture. I hadn’t been accounting for all the things I receive without directly paying for them:

• Free time that’s still paid

• A gift of a week’s stay in someone’s holiday cottage

• A free coffee voucher that lands in my inbox

• Warmth, support, and encouragement that money can’t buy

These are all part of the flow. They matter. And by paying more attention to them, I’m actually expanding my sense of abundance—what’s already here and what’s possible.

So yes, I turned up a year early. But maybe, right on time… for a deeper understanding of how richly life already provides.