Unexpected disappointments hit hard because they catch us off guard.
But disappointment is proof we care — And that’s not a weakness.
It’s a sign that we’re engaged, invested, and striving for something better.
Your story doesn’t end with one setback. Disappointment isn’t defeat—it’s just a detour. Keep going.
Feel free to pass this along to someone who might like this reassurance.
Dr. Amit Sood, a physician and neuroscientist, often talks about how the brain is wired for survival, not happiness. My NYU college students always seem very relieved to hear this.
Our brain’s default mode is to scan for threats, anticipate problems, and dwell on the negative because, from an evolutionary perspective, this kept us alive.
Happiness, on the other hand, is not automatic.
It requires intentional effort to train our brains to focus on joy, gratitude, and meaning rather than just threats and worries.
It’s not us! We’re not born this way — we’re born THAT way. Our default isn’t unhappiness. But we can train the brain for it.
Go ahead and pass it along if you wish.
A great way to get out of bed feeling motivated in the digital age is to reframe your mindset from “I have to get up” to “I get to get up.”
Maybe focusing on one thing that you are legitimately looking forward to doing this day or how to take a small step toward your goal.
These are tough times and we’re more connected than ever so it’s easy to think that getting out of bed to start the day could seem like a drag.
“I get to get up” is how most of us feel anyway so the trick is to start with that thought and change the way we look at our day.
These are “day starters” so starting the day is a big deal, pass it along if you’d like.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant pressure to succeed, stay ahead, and keep up with the noise around us.
Anxiety often feels like an invisible weight, pressing down on us as we try to juggle everything life throws our way. But remember this: you don’t have to have it all figured out right now.
Life is a journey, not a race. Embrace the moments of stillness, no matter how small, and allow yourself the space to breathe, reflect, and recalibrate. Every step forward, no matter how slow, is progress.
You have the power to quiet the noise and reclaim your peace. By focusing on what’s within your control—your thoughts, your actions, your response to life—you can break free from the cycle of anxiety.
I hope you liked this – if you did, pass it on, no problem.
Every day is an opportunity to take another step toward the life you want. It’s never too late to build new skills, embrace change, and pursue what truly matters to you.
Big projects, large goals – these are not necessary to advance your life. Smaller goals feel just as good and train the brain to create positive thinking.
Your next chapter can start today!
Share with someone, they will appreciate it.
Katharine Whitehorn said it best – “the best careers advice to give to the young is ‘Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it’”.
In the meantime, author Meg Jay who writes about The Defining Decade (your 20’s) says your first job isn’t just about earning a paycheck—it’s a chance to develop skills, build professional relationships, and create a reputation that can carry you forward.
It almost seems once you start working, it’s easy to get caught up to keep working, pay the bills, support the family so if you missed the chance to do that one thing you really wanted to do before you got into life’s treadmill, think about a way to fit it in now.
Maybe someone you know might appreciate this message so feel free to pass it along.
The comedian George Carlin said, “I put a dollar in one of those change machines. Nothing changed”.
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One of artificial intelligence’s goals is to replace people with machines.
Covid put a damper on young people socializing and now we get this:
Teens spend a quarter of their days in school on their smartphones based on
A Seattle Children’s Research Institute study. They spent an average of an hour and a half on their phones during an approximate 6-hour school day. And what were they doing instead of learning: messaging, Instagram, video streaming, audio, and email.
But my experience with college students is that they love to do things in person. In our classes, we devote time at the start of class to getting to know others they may not have met. It gets loud and happy and one graduate reminded me that he met his “best friend in college” in class.
Phones are good for some things. Face-to-face engagement still rules.
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Author Amit Sood puts it like this: “Do not postpone joy waiting for a day when life will be perfect and all your stressors will be gone”.
Our minds tend to push away joy and keep you logged off from life.
“I have never had a day when my boat was fully secure in the harbor, the water was a deep blue, the winds were quiet, and the sun was bright and shining in the sky. Waiting for such a day would be a very long wait. So, I need to admit the reality and find fulfillment in the present moment accepting all its imperfections”.
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British teacher James Nottingham’s concept of “The Learning Pit” was born after he observed that students like to play it safe in class raising their hands only when they are sure of the answers.
Journalist Jenny Anderson noted that “In Japan teachers spent 44% of their time giving students material they don’t know and challenging them to figure it out.” U.S. teachers tried this approach 1% of the time. Struggling to solve a problem was actually good. This does not mean that offering help is not good or intervening when panic sets in is not appropriate.
The same appears to be true for adults. The more we struggle, the more we learn. Sometimes failing has its advantages and helps us succeed later. I wrote a book about this topic that we use in my college stress classes – Out of Bad Comes Good – the Advantages of Disadvantages – how people as diverse as Steve Jobs to Mother Teresa turned failure into success.
Fear of failure is the enemy of resilience.
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