Have you ever experienced a season of life where you feel like you cannot move forward or feel as if you are behind where you want to be? I understand how frustrating this can feel as I experienced setbacks during my time in college. Specifically, during my junior year of college, I experienced health issues that brought me back home where I took time off from school to focus on feeling better. My junior year of college was a difficult time for me, but today, I can say that if I had never walked through that season, I would not have the greater appreciation that I do of the growth experiences that setbacks can bring. If we are intentional about searching to see the good even during a discouraging setback, we will find it. During my setback, I learned to see the good through my family and friends who supported me, the doctors and nurses who helped me and for the appreciation of the good days I experienced where I had more energy and felt more like myself. Below, I share a few questions that helped me focus on positive thinking during my setback.
What Am I Learning from This Setback?
It is incredibly helpful to think about what lessons you are learning from this setback that you may have never thought about before. During this time, I learned that it was okay to take a semester off from school even though I had always thought that I needed to graduate by a certain age. I was able to gain experience working during this time while also being able to be with my family during a time where I needed extra support. I can confidently say that experiencing this setback allowed me to learn that there is not a specific timeline for your life that you must follow and that, sometimes, feeling behind just allows you more time to be prepared for the next chapter of your life.
How Can I Grow from This Setback?
I also like to think about how this setback can help me grow. For example, during my health issues, I was able to grow into a more mature, confident version of myself at the age of 21. I saw myself persevere through challenging times in a way that I had not experienced before. I thought to myself: “Wow, this was extremely difficult, but I can make it through hard circumstances because of my faith.” I believe this growth has only helped me be able to better navigate challenges that have occurred since 2022.
How Can I Use This Setback for Good?
Lastly, I like to think about how I can use this setback to help encourage the people around me. For example, I have been able to provide uplifting words to my aunt who has experienced a similar setback to mine. Additionally, I have had meaningful conversations with friends about feeling behind in life and have reminded my friends that they are not behind in life. There is a purpose for every season we walk through.
My hope is that this article would provide encouragement to anyone who is currently walking through a challenging setback. While it is easier to focus on the negatives during a setback, doing so will only make it harder to notice the small moments of joy that are around you. By being intentional about finding the good and looking for ways to grow during this season, you can one day look back on this setback through a lens of gratitude.
