“Sunny days wouldn’t be special if it wasn’t for rain
Joy wouldn’t feel so good if it wasn’t for pain”
– 50 Cent on “Many Men“
Facing setbacks is never easy. In fact, it’s one of the hardest things we have to endure. Nobody plans to be knocked off course or pushed back, especially when they’re progressing. But sometimes, life says otherwise. Whether it’s not getting a job, getting a bad grade, or losing a relationship, setbacks are a part of life. The challenge, and it’s a tough one, is learning how to deal with them.
What’s up world? Welcome to the Ajaxxx.com October 2017 Opinions Column. If you’re new here, welcome and thanks for visiting. If you’re returning, welcome back! This month, we’re gonna talk about facing setbacks, why it’s relevant, and how I’m learning to deal with them. Here we go!
So why the topic in the first place? Well, I recently entered this rap competition online where I had to submit a song. The winner would win an EP deal, along with a bunch of other prizes. I saw the contest and got excited. I knew my skills and what I could do on the mic, and I was confident I could win it. Well, that didn’t quite happen. Rather, I didn’t even place in the top 20. Ouch. I was pretty excited when they were getting ready to announce the winner, constantly refreshing the page to see the results. When I didn’t see my name on the list, I was like damn. While I didn’t get my hopes up TOO high (which is good and something I’ve learned over time), it still kinda bummed me out. Howeverrr, I wasn’t stuck in a rut.
So, allow me to open up with you. Traditionally speaking, whenever I’ve faced a setback I would get down on myself. Like, really down. I’d clam up, close myself off, and refuse to talk to anyone. I’d find solace in my rap notebook most of the time. I wouldn’t deal well with these types of experiences and it made me question a lot. I had a pretty bad outlook looking back on things. But that’s how I was. I didn’t like the feeling of not getting what I want and couldn’t deal with it. It was difficult.
Fast forward to today, and I feel like a reinvented person. Now, before I proceed, YES I was down for a bit about not winning the contest. However, my reaction was way different than how it would’ve been. Instead of shifting into negative mode, I really thought about it differently. I was like, “well at least I tried, didn’t I? And I got a dope song out of it too, even if it didn’t win the contest.” Rather than reacting in a negative way, I met it with positivity. It’s a departure of the old Jaxxx, it really is…but it’s a great progression. I used to get down on myself but now I’m able to look at things from a different perspective. In this case, I’m able to appreciate it and remind myself that this is part of the journey.
Look, if you faced a setback, at least you faced something. If you didn’t get the job, guess what? There are some people that didn’t even get the interview. If you lost money, just remember that there are people that wish they had that money to begin with. And in my case, even though I didn’t win the contest I came out of it with a song and experience to help me in future experiences. With anything in life, use it to learn. Use it as a lesson. It’s incredible at how much this positive outlook can change things.
As I write this, it’s an absolutely surreal experience. Who am I? Who have I become? I used to be the one with the sad songs and depressing quotes and now I’m over here doing a 180 lol. It’s krazy how time can change us. I’m grateful for it all.
And that’ll do it for me y’all. Please remind yourself life isn’t about what happens to you, it’s about how you react to it. That’s one of the best ways to deal with setbacks.
Until the next episode. Stay up, stay safe, and hold ya head. Ajaxxx signing out, peaceeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
