Life - like the sea can often be turbulent and seem beyond our control, but if we have the courage to be taken up in the swell we can often find we are released back to quieter waters and with a greater understanding of ourselves and the world around us. While I don't always agree with the school of thought that a smooth road through life would be boring, these rough seas can form us in ways we might never have achieved in normal circumstances.  Certainly it can seem at times that some of us have more than our fair share of challenges, while others seem to float serenely by. However, be wary of comparisons to others remember you can never fully know the problems others face unless you walk in their shoes a while. It is the strife that tests you and through it you find the integrity, intelligence and coping skills to continue. A good sense of humour can do wonders too!
As a child I fell in the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. As I felt myself falling I recalled my sister telling me that in the event of me falling in deep water I should not panic, but stay very still and I would more than likely surface where I had entered the water, I did what I had been told. I can remember holding my breath and waiting for the light to break through the inky green water. Just when I thought I couldn't hold my breath any longer I surfaced to find I had indeed gone straight down and up again, which in this case was highly lucky as there were parked boats to either side of me and I could so easily have come up under one. 
So when chaos surrounds you in whatever form it may take, try to the best of your abilities to keep stable and not to fight the rising water. Just like the skilled sailor fix your eye to the horizon and see out the storm however long its duration. I love this Winston Churchill line when I can't seem to see which way is up 'if you're going through hell - keep going' this often occurs to me when I feel I have no more strength to continue. Or another good one I heard recently is  'it will be alright in the end and if its not alright then it can't be the end'.
Happy Sailing!