Motivation Monday ~ Reframing disappointment

Nobody likes to be disappointed. Whether it’s being let down by a friend who bailed last minute or not getting the promotion you had your eye on- disappointment sucks. But, one of the most important qualities to be developed as a balanced human adult is successfully moving forward after dealing with setbacks and challenges- i.e. things that bring us down or question our self worth.

I have cultivated my neutral response to setbacks in such a way that I am very rarely crushed by failure. The phrase I use for it is getting ‘lettuced’ (that moment when you bite in to a juicy cheeseburger and all you get is lettuce… ugh). Getting ‘lettuced’, as a phrase, resonates with me because:

1. It is inherently silly; which makes me laugh in the face of defeat.
2. It is neutral: most people who get a bite full of lettuce just shrug it off and keep eating. Plus, lettuce is good for us. 

This neutral or positive view of disappointment allows me to jump into opportunities without fearing the associated disappointment that may happen. If you learn from your mistakes and misfortunes in order to better approach other opportunities then was it even a ‘failure’ in the first place? I honestly don’t think so. Take the time this week to change your mindset as you encounter disappointment in your life and think about how you can spin it into something positive. Ask yourself what you can learn from the situation in order to improve similar events in the future. 

GFFI,

D & K

Photo from: www.runningmad.wordpress.com