I have been noticing a certain word popping up continually this past week, and it got me thinking. The word of the week is setback, read some examples below:
Example 1: Lindsay Lohan on her recent failed drug test: “This was certainly a setback for me but I am taking responsibility for my actions and I’m prepared to face the consequences.”
Example 2: Jerry Jones on his Dallas Cowboys starting the NFL season 0-2: “It’s just something you can’t expect. You can’t anticipate it and you’ve got to realize it’s quite a setback.”
Even though I am a huge football fan and understand the demise of opening the season 0-2, Lindsay Lohan’s constant drug abuse and battles with the court may be a bigger issue. But that’s not really what I’m going for. Everyone has to deal with setbacks, and it’s how we handle these hurdles that build character.
A small example from my life: I was doing great on my better eating plan until the weekend came around and I visited fast food chains three times in two days. Certainly a setback for me. Maybe not a life changing one, but I still had to figure out how to get myself back on track after eating greasy food and gulping sugary sodas. I threw in an extra gym workout and pre-made my lunches for the week so I couldn’t be tempted again to grab McDonalds.
We have to remember, setbacks will always occur in our lives. The unexpected happens. When they do, we must pick ourselves back up, examine the problem and why the setback occurred, and prepare for facing the future in a better way. Whether that entails rehab from Lindsay, a new coach for Dallas, or simply better preparation skills, setbacks will not derail someone forever. It’s a minor glitch, one that wants to be fixed. So put a smile on your face and welcome some setbacks from time to time. You may realize how much better of a person you are after having to deal with one- or several- of these pesky problems.
