On Disappointment

This time of year sometimes feels disappointing. Maybe your positive energy is burning out. Perhaps students you care about are struggling mightily. Possibly a new opportunity you hoped for did not avail itself. To feel disappointed is perfectly healthy and normal; it means that you care. "Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck," says the Dalai Lama. The trick is to see a disappointing outcome as an opportunity to gain new insights, explore new paths, and grow as a person. So, when things don’t work out as you hoped, truly feel disappointed - sit with it, recognize it, honor it. Then use that energy to keep moving forward. Our future is rarely as dire as our mind makes it out to be.