dealing with Setbacks in life

In every season of your life you will find yourself planning and heading on the journey towards a certain destination for that phase. But sometimes you will find yourself restarting or rerouting again and again. Like a vicious cycle making fun of life. When you are so absorbed about your goals and you are slowly reaching it, then life will suddenly put you on a pause. Just a period where either you know you can still go back and restart, or not know if anything will be possible again. You took that great leap on the stair and then found yourself back to the first step. Isn’t it frustrating? When you thought you had it figured out already, here comes a reset!

Oh life—-yes indeed, I find myself in this position many times that I could think of. And every now and then it hurts, or it’s disappointing. Well who wouldn’t? Who in this world would like setbacks? I guess, majority, nobody.

But hey, it’s not always bad. Setbacks aren’t always the villain in our story. Sometimes it’s what we really need, where life is showing us back to what really should matter. Sometimes that pause is all we needed. That’s the breather. That’s the eye opener. That’s a place where we are humbled down to what matters. To relearn the true meaning of the journey ahead. To reconsider the direction you are taking. Sometimes we needed an interruption that could bring us to something better, or even best!

Setbacks aren’t always the villain in our story. Sometimes it’s what we really need, where life is showing us back to what really should matter.

I know, I know, it might be really disappointing when your tomorrow doesn’t look like the way you expect it to be. But you have to deal with it, you have to give yourself a period of recovery. No matter how short or long the length of time you need, go for it, take time to grieve and feel that emotion. Feel that pain. Feel that regret. Feel that sorrow. You don’t have to accept it right away, that tomorrow is different from what you are looking forward to. Give yourself time to process. You needed it. You owe this to your mind and body and soul. Give yourself a moment to reflect on what has happened and what’s going to happen.

Then, be gentle and kind to yourself along the process. The circumstances are already hard enough, so don’t make it too hard on yourself. Be kind, give yourself a pat on the back knowing that you are also just enduring everything that is happening. Take it easy on yourself. Take one affirmative word at a time. One step at a time. Be gentle, know that you are still growing and pressing on. Keep hoping despite the uncertainties of a disrupted plan. Keep believing even though no one is ready yet to give you another chance. Time will come that you will look back on today and be grateful to yourself you didn’t lose it. You carried yourself through it!

Take it easy on yourself. Take one affirmative word at a time. One step at a time. Be gentle, know that you are still growing and pressing on.

Setbacks may have rerouted you now but be in the attitude of gratitude. Be intentional to look at every blessing behind the mess. Every mishap is also a blessing in disguise, so be willing to set your eyes on the good rather than the bad. Shift the focus on the hopeful part rather than staying on the desolation. There’s still a lighthouse you can follow despite the dark nights. You’ll just need to set yourself to gratefulness.

But I tell you, there’s no one-fits-all formula in dealing with setbacks in life. Every individual has a different and meaningful journey ahead, yet each one of us could be wise enough to get an understanding of our current situation through somebody’s learning and experiences. And these things I wrote down are from my own reflections. It could be of help or not, but I am hoping that this would give a tiny little hope to anyone experiencing hiccups in life.