How to conquer disappointment

It's no fun to look back at a year and think about how many times that you've been let down and how many times a simple disappointment is the cause of so much frustration and sorrow. I've done a lot of thinking today about how this new year needs to be different from that, so I wanted to share some of my thoughts about how disappointments can be overcome.

So with anything I start thinking about, I always look at quotes about it to see what other people have said. After reading many quotes about disappointment, I came to a conclusion that with disappointment, there is a big question that you need to ask yourself. Is the disappointment worth the pain or suffering? Should you learn how to let go of the disappointment, or hold on with the hope that things will get better? Depending on the situation, some would agree to the latter. Sometimes people choose to be hopeful because they want something or someone to change. They want things to get better. They hope these things, but there is no certainty that this hope will destroy their disappointment. Hoping can lead to even more disappointment, perhaps an even bigger disappointment than the first. Instead of constantly wanting something to change and hoping it will, sometimes it is better to come to the realization that the disappointment is not worth it. Moving on can be the best thing for someone dealing with disappointment, and this is coming from someone who has always hoped things would get better.

Some people may disagree with me and say that this is wrong. Perhaps it is in some situations, but having hope for something or someone to change is setting yourself up for even more disappointment. Instead of hoping for disappointment to fade, you can be a stronger person by actually coming to terms with the disappointment and doing something else to get over your sadness instead of sitting around, hoping that your disappointments will eventually fade away.

Resolutions for the New Year (plus some bonus inspiration!)

In case you haven't noticed from previous blog posts, I am an avid fan of making lists. I'm convinced that it has something to do with my anxiety and keeping me sane. Regardless of that, I have really grown to love writing them, so here's another list of mine that I plan to print out and stick to for the new year of 2012. Some of these resolutions are also bucket list items, but I try to challenge myself every year to do anything (and everything) on my bucket list. Might as well, right? :)

1. Attend Red Hot Chili Peppers concert (already planned)
2. Attend other awesome concerts
3. Stop walking on tiptoes
4. See a chiropractor about back problems
5. Meet new people (always an easy one to cross off!)
6. Get more sleep (we'll see about this one... haha)
7. Start Etsy shop for my crocheted projects
8. Get a new piercing (most likely another ear piercing)
9. Turn 21 :D
10. Go to a karaoke bar
11. Get a coffee table for my living room
12. Meet someone famous (it could happen!)
13. Go on a spontaneous road trip
14. Get scholarship monies
15. Learn how to play an instrument/relearn how to play violin
16. Make more playlists
17. Eat healthier and drink more water
18. Go to the gym often
19. Rock climb more often (this is a must!)
20. Become satisfied with my wardrobe
21. Watch Community and become addicted
22. Watch Star Trek and become addicted
23. Grow a pair and actually do the polar plunge
24. Have an adventurous spring break
25. Try something new/become more cultured
26. Become more prepared for the zombie apocalypse (you never know)
27. Read more books! (You'll most likely be seeing a book list posted on here very soon)
28. Be more carefree and less anxious
29. Take a women's defense class
30. Buy a typewriter (I actually might buy one before the year starts!)

There's definitely more I could add, but these are the ones that came to mind. There's a lot on this list, some of which are out of my control (such as number 12), but let's see how much of it I can actually accomplish!

While every year has its ups and downs, I think it's those very ups and downs that make us who we are. They form us into stronger people and help us on the way to finding our true selves. Bad things may happen to us and sometimes all we can see are the bad things that cloud our happiness, but we must realize that the bad things are simply bumps in the road. They're hard to get over, but once you've surpassed them, you're one step closer to where you want to be, metaphorically speaking. We must cherish the great things that happen to us and look forward to both the expected and unexpected moments in life, whether they are good or bad. I see this new year as a fresh start for myself and I have a feeling that it has a lot of great things in store for me. And with that, here is a quote for you all to think about as you ring in the new year. Cheers, fellow blog readers! :)

"Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties."
- Helen Keller