Days like this happen. I have buyer clients interested in a listing of mine that’s for sale off-market. They were hot and all over it when I showed it to them Wednesday, but they’re exploring working with a lender who’s a family friend—meeting with him on Thursday.

The meeting happened, and there was some issue, they said, but they expected to know more Friday, or Monday morning at the latest. I texted Friday morning. No response. Saturday. No response. Again this morning, asking if I should instead call.

They finally responded saying that it was a difficult weekend and that they’ve not heard back yet…. I asked what the issue is. Is the lender not getting back to them? No response. Not my lender. There’s none of this with my lender, and it’s questionable whether this is true even with their lender.

What else? Another new buyer client who’s planning to relocate to this area next year replied to an email about a property in a terse way, explaining that they’re not interested in making a move yet, “as you know”. They specifically inquired about this property and told me to let them know about any others that came to the market.

What else? My assistant sent the wrong signed addendum — one that I was withholding for negotiations — to the lender and the title rep. This is on another deal for a listing I have. That was yesterday. Today, I got the right addendum back, signed, and was excited to have gotten a more favorable closing date for my clients, despite the confusion and mistakes made. The title rep, not an hour later, emails “breaking news” about the HOA contacting her about two compliance issues with the exterior of the unit that need to be resolved before closing. No problem.

She also mentioned that the mortgage payoff can’t be acquired before our newly established closing date because the lender takes two days to “input” payoff requests and five business days to process them. Closing will necessarily be delayed after I jumped through hoops of fire to get it shortened. These sellers already sold the home once and had a buyer walk at the final walk-through. There are other familial and legal issues that are further aggravating the sale. A doozy indeed.

New buyers I was referred were preparing to make an offer on a property today. I spent time on the phone last night (Sunday) and again today working through the details. I coordinated with my colleague who represents the listing. Got everything prepped. The buyer let me know that the buyer’s wife “talked herself out of this one” such that they would like me to instead set up a search for “my part of the state” so that I can make some “$$” if I end up “finding them something”.

I don’t say all this to complain (yes I do, but that’s only part of the point). I write it all out to illustrate that these days happen. It happens to be a Monday. For me, oftentimes, these things don’t happen in isolation. They happen in bunches like this. I get the shit kicked out of me, proverbially speaking.

But what’s important to remember is that these things are just that—things. They’re circumstances that are outside of my control. What’s inside my control? My responses to all these situations. I don’t respond to them all perfectly and diplomatically. I might have a little bit of unprofessional snark with the title rep who inadvertently sounded the alarms on something with her “breaking news” comment that added insult to injury in an already tumultuous and difficult transaction. I asked follow-up questions to each of the buyers who flaked in various ways within hours of each other — almost as though they were all conspiring against me!

But the important thing for me to remember is that this is part of the deal. I have days when the stars align and everything goes my way. I have days when it goes the other way. And, fortunately, I mostly have days that are somewhere in the middle. It’s all material. It’s all part of the job. It’s all part of life.

If I can take it easy on myself and not delude myself into thinking that these apparent negative results are a consequence of my actions or inactions — that they’re indications of my worth both as a professional and as a person — I’ll be okay. Take the punches as they come, and grab the opportunities when they come too.

It’s a difficult business to be in. It’s an even more difficult business to stay in. Keeping our heads on our shoulders is more than half the battle sometimes. Just make it through this day. One day at a time. Survive. When they quit and go get a “real” job, you take care of yourself, take a breather if you need to, and come back and do your work.

It’ll boomerang back and things will be golden.