I was about to back into a prime parking spot at Walmart when the person behind me drove into it before I could back in. I was definitely disappointed! Now, I realize that’s not a earth shattering disappointment by any means, but we all experience different levels of disappointment everyday. From the mild letdown of not getting the parking space you hoped for to the crushing sorrow of finding out a loved one has a terminal illness or dealing with a marriage that ends or isn’t what you had hoped it would be.

Have you suffered a setback or disappointment? I have had to deal with many disappointments in my life. When I was single, it was the end of a relationship that I felt deeply emotionally invested in. I had a terrible falling out with my best friend a few years ago that resulted in us ending our friendship. Thankfully, our friendship has been restored since that time and I cherish her now more than ever, but at the time it was incredibly disappointing. I have applied for many “dream jobs” and gone through the interview process with great excitement only to find out that I didn’t get the job. In the past, I’ve counted on money I thought I was getting to pay my bills that I didn’t get, I’ve made plans with friends or family I was incredibly excited about only to have them fall through. Parents, you can relate to these examples: when your child doesn’t make the sports team or doesn’t get a good grade on a test they’ve studied hard for.

One of the biggest disappointments I have had to deal with much of my life is having people ridicule or even bully me because I have a disability. I have cerebral palsy that affects my left side. As a child, I had a surgery, several casts on my left leg, I went through physical and occupational therapy for several years during elementary school and wore a plastic brace on my left leg and a shoe with a lift so it was very clear that I was “different” from the other kids I went to school with. I went through pretty much all of my school years from grade school through high school with literally no friends. It was very disappointing. It hurt. Deeply. I didn’t understand it and I can’t say I dealt with it well at the time. I did some things I regret that disappointed my parents because I desperately craved attention. Even now, as a confident and successful adult, occasionally, people still make comments or stare which I find disappointing.

The one important lesson I have learned about disappointment is that it’s the way you choose to handle the disappointments in your life that matters. The disappointments you experience in your life can either make you bitter or better. It’s up to you to choose! By God’s grace, (and I absolutely take no credit for this) even after all the disappointment I have personally suffered, I still have a heart to love and help people. I think God’s plan for my life ended up being pretty incredible in the sense that my destiny was to become a Certified Personal Trainer after spending my childhood being ridiculed for my physical limitations. You CAN take your disappointments and turn them into your greatest assets. I believe that disappointment in our lives teaches us patience and forbearance. Is there something we can learn from situations and circumstances that disappoint us? Is there a reason you didn’t get something you really wanted or why plans you made fell through? Perhaps God has something better in store for you. Maybe you are needed more in a different situation than in the situation you had planned on being in. Whatever the reason for your disappointment, I do know that although we can’t always predict or control our circumstances, with careful planning as a learned behavior and (for me) serious prayer, we can predict and control our thought process and attitude toward our disappointments. This practice makes us stronger emotionally, mentally and spiritually and inspires the people around us. It is my personal goal to practice having a good attitude even when I’m disappointed.

Be Extraordinary: 

Am I struggling with disappointment today? How can I adjust my attitude and thought process to deal with my disappointment in a more positive way? How can I encourage someone I know who is struggling with disappointment?

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