Tag: life

Disappointment as a tool for growth

Photo by amir selfish on Pexels.com

Disappointment is not something most people will welcome with open arms. It mostly brings with it pain, regret and sorrow. Most people see disappointment as something negative that should be avoided. It comes uninvited, often through missed chances, broken expectations, and plans that don’t succeed, even when we try hard.

However, disappointment can also be a powerful tool for personal growth. When we handle it well, it helps us build resilience, gain perspective, and improve our character.

When plans go wrong, we can either try to avoid the issue or start to doubt ourselves, or we can ask ourselves important questions such as whether there is a lesson to be learned from the event, or if there is something we can do better next time.

Disappointment can help build resilience, where we look beyond the disappointment and refuse to let it define or control us. We channel our energy into thinking things through and then moving ahead with more clarity.

Disappointment can also help develop strong character. It can be easy to seem confident when everything is going well, but true character shows when facing disappointment. We can develop patience and even humility.

Accepting disappointment as part of growth can change our mindset. The fear of failing reduces when we no longer see disappointment as a disaster. We become more willing to take chances, try new things, and step outside our comfort zones.

The Cost of Kindness

Some people say it costs nothing to be kind. I somewhat disagree.

Kindness does come with some cost attached. It comes with a price such as giving away your time to spend with a lonely neighbour, giving your money to support a charity with a just cause, swallowing your pride and staying quiet even when you know you are right.

While there is a price attached to being kind, the reward to both the giver and the receiver can be immense. It can transcend the act itself, and the impact can be long lasting.

Recently a friend I haven’t seen or spoken to for more than a decade reached out to me. He’d finally obtained my number from a mutual acquaintance and was very pleased to have reached me. We chatted and tried to catch up on what we have both been up to over the past years.

The next day, I received a message from this friend. In the message, he articulated how I had been of help to him several years ago, before we lost contact. I had supported him in launching his business, helping to write letters to potential patrons and being the first to use his services. His business is now thriving and has grown in leaps and bounds.

It was amazing to be reminded of this, because I had totally forgotten. I had done what was within my giving to do at the time and had not thought much of it. He on the other hand never forgot. He had carried this with him over the past years.

Kindness should be done without expecting anything in return, but there is a reminder from this example that people are watching, maybe not all, but some are, and some do not forget. You never know what your little act of kindness can mean to someone, how far reaching it could get, or the lasting effect it may have.

Be kind! Acts of kindness no matter how small can go a long way.

It might cost you, but the price is worth it!