a disappointing journey essay

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Essay: A Bad Journey

“Travelling is a sort of educations among the younger people”, said Bacon. Perhaps, he had a disappointing journey in his mind. For it gives more experience and enables to develop more courage. Hazlitt, in one of his essays, says that a journey becomes enjoyable if one hopes to get a good meal and a good rest after a tiring journey, and adds that traveling hopefully gives the maximum happiness perhaps he had no experience of a disappointing journey which is more instructive.

It was a day of disappointments. And being an optimist I did not attach much importance to bad omens. First of all the auto I hired to the railway station rattled noisily and emitted more smoke than an ordinary vehicle can. But I had limited time at my disposal, so I decided to travel by it.

After a short distance I was panting like an extremely tired person and came to a sudden stop. It was the first disappointment. Somehow I reached the station jumping into anther auto but I found a long queue at the ticket counter. There were only a few minutes for the train to leave, yet there was no hope of reaching the ticket window. This was the second disappointment. I decided to travel without ticket and pay the fare.

Boarding the train was itself an ordeal. Despite my healthy body I was sandwiched and my luggage was mercilessly trampled upon. Still I managed to wriggle into a corner. There I found some persons smoking cigarettes. And I could not rather stand that smell nor could I move an inch. I covered my nose with my handkerchief, but the bad smell was choking me.

As expected the ticket checker came and I willingly told him about my inability to buy the ticket. He looked him about my inability to buy the ticket. He looked at me with strange eyes and all passengers stared at me. The ticker checker was not going to allow me to travel but I protested and told him that if a passenger was prepared to pay the fine, he could be allowed to travel. After much discussion, I convinced him and heaved a sigh of relief.

As I reached my destination, I was thanking god. I was thinking that I would meet my uncle and aunt with a broad smile and their hospitality would make me forget the ordeals of the journey. I was dreaming of it, while the rickshaw-puller was pulling the vehicle in a half sleep manner. To my great disappointment, I found that my uncle and aunt had gone to Chennai for a month and the house was locked. This was the greatest disappointment. I did not have much money for return trip. I did not want to recall this disappointing journey further because that makes me extremely sad. That was A Bad Journey.

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My Experience with Disappointment and How I Overcame It

• by Celes     |    
• Filed in Emotional Mastery
• , About Celes

This is the  last part  of a 4-part series on how to deal with disappointment.

• Part 1 :  3 Reasons Why Disappointment Is Good
• Part 2 :  Are You Letting Your Disappointments Destroy You?
• Part 3 :  How to Deal With Disappointment
• Part 4 : My Experience with Disappointment and How I Overcame It

(Image: Geir Yngve Tro )

(This post was published in January 2009, one month after I started Personal Excellence.)

Whenever I write my articles, I draw inspiration from the events that are unfolding in my life. This one is no different. Here, I will be sharing a past experience with disappointment which led to my lessons in this disappointment series . My purpose of sharing this is for you to benefit from my experience. As you read, see if you can draw any parallels between what I went through and what you are going through now.

Beginning of a Journey: Hopes and Expectations

In Oct 2008, I left my full-time job to pursue my passion to help others grow .

Before I quit, I had a clear vision of my end goal. I decided that I wanted to start a personal development business , and this would involve using different mediums to reach out to others, such as being a coach, blogger, and speaker. This site would be the first step in my plans.

I gave myself a 6-month period to focus on pursuing my purpose (where I would live off my savings), and see where it would take me. Depending on how things go at the end of the 6 months, I would either continue to pursue it full time, or return to corporate (for a few more years) and pursue my purpose at the side.

In my mind though, I was secretly hoping that everything would work out and I could do this full time.

A State of Happiness and Fulfillment

Life pursuing my purpose was  phenomenal . For the first time, I could dedicate my full attention to my goals and dreams without conflicting demands from my day job.

Just imagine waking up every morning and  doing anything you like . I’ve always been enthusiastic about life, but after leaving my day job to start my business, I was literally bouncing around every day in exuberance. :D My friends can attest to this! In  my purpose series , I repeatedly mention how passionate I am about my purpose and how much it drives me. The feeling is incredible, unlike anything I have felt before.

Conflicting Demands of Reality

However, after a few weeks of working on my goal, I realized that 6 months was not going to be enough for things to take off. For starters, I would need to establish a high level of awareness for my business. I would also need to build credibility and expertise for my skills as a coach and trainer.

By simply being 24 years old, people would naturally cast doubt on my ability, even though I have the skills to give value to others. Awareness, credibility, and expertise take time to build, and 6 months is not a reasonable time frame.  In fact, 2 months had passed while I was working on my plans, before launching my business in Dec 2008. Studies have shown that it takes at least 18 months before a blog fully takes off. This lead time doesn’t factor in the ability to make a living from your blog.

In the meantime, I had other issues to deal with. For example, financial limitation . While I could live each day frugally, I was limited in many decisions and they were all  tied to money .

• When my friends suggested taking a holiday trip, I opted out due to the cost.
• Whenever I went out, I would be conscious of how I spent my money.
• I started reducing / cutting out all expenses where possible, such as on clothes, more costly dining choices, transportation (I started religiously taking the public transport vs. cab), entertainment (movies, social activities that cost money), etc. I also noticed that I would unconsciously flinch whenever money was involved.

This was a stark contrast from my usual self when working in corporate. I was by no means a spendthrift, but I never allowed myself to be held back by money. That’s because I always feel that money should be a means, not an end , and I don’t like money to hinder me in my decision making, especially regarding protecting my needs and well-being.

There is also my family. I need to support my family.  Here in Singapore, it is common to give a monthly allowance to your parents after you start working. After leaving my job, I stopped giving them money — this was meant to be temporary until I started earning money. By the way, I come from a low-income family — my pay in my previous job was more than double the combined pay of my parents. Quitting my job meant cutting off a key income source in the household. While my parents were supportive of my decision to quit, it was always in my plans to reinstate some level of my income within 6 months of quitting, one way or another.

The money issues did not end there. As part of my plans to be a coach, I researched taking a formal coaching course to solidify my coaching skills. After checking the courses available, they cost at least four grand and above. Considering I’m not earning anything, this is a sizable sum of money. I wasn’t sure about investing so much in a course I didn’t know much about, and whether it would have any effect on my new career.

All in all, my key issues seemed to revolve around money .

Contemplation, and Decision

In November 2008, I laid out all my options and narrowed them to two:

• Return to corporate at the end of the 6 months and run my personal development business at the side, until it is established enough to be run full time.
• Focus fully on running my personal development business, with the faith that I would start earning sufficient money within two years (I would be out of savings by then).

I assessed the two options.

Option 1 seemed  more realistic and logical . With this, I would no longer be bound by monetary constraints. But if I return to the workforce, I would not have as much time for my blog and coaching. The nature of my corporate work is highly demanding and time consuming; in the past I was constantly traveling and spending late nights, sometimes weekends, working. I would likely be miserable if I return to corporate.

Option 2, on the other hand, is emotionally rewarding since I would continue to pursue my purpose full time. However, it would be  financially risky . Not only would I still be facing the same financial limitations, but I would be banking my life on the success of my business within a certain time frame. What if I can’t earn money after a year? What if it takes longer than a year for things to fully take off? I would be scrambling to secure my basic needs then.

When I looked within for answers, the idealist in me screamed to go for Option 2. Just throw everything you got and everything will turn out fine! This is what you truly want and it’s what makes you the happiest!

My logical side advised me that Option 1 was the better choice. If you want to help people grow, you need to secure your needs first. How can you be of service otherwise?

It tore me apart, to have the decision essentially boil down to between these two things: purpose or money.

For money to be  the single pressing concern as I pursued my purpose — it was a bitter irony. Instead of focusing on living my purpose and letting the money flow in in its own time and space, I felt pressurized to identify ways to earn money through it. By tying a monetary value to my purpose, I felt like I was making a travesty out of it. I hated being caught in a situation where I had to keep thinking about money, when I was pursuing something much higher in value than that. I felt really frustrated.

Eventually, I asked myself the deal-breaker question: “ Which option would ensure the long-term success of my pursuit? Which option would guarantee that I would successfully pursue my purpose in the long run? ” When I thought about it in this manner, it is clear that Option 1 is the winner.

A State of Deep Disappointment

When I came to the realization, a feeling of emptiness overcame me. When I quit my job, I was sincerely hoping to run ahead with my purpose forever. Instead, now I would have to return to a corporate career I’m no longer passionate about. I felt like I had dropped all the way down to deep, dark pit, and I was alone inside.

While I had no doubt that I would eventually reach my end goal given time and effort, I just felt so… tired all of a sudden. I felt tired thinking that I was already at my goal, then seeing it being suddenly pulled far, far away into an ambiguous future. I felt tired realizing that there were so many things standing between me and my goal. I felt tired having to figure out ways to secure a living, when I’m trying to pursue a higher purpose. I felt tired with the thought of returning to a job I don’t love, after quitting it to pursue my life passion.

Suddenly, everything I had been doing and fighting for felt meaningless.

Dealing with My Disappointment

For the first few days, I wasn’t in the mood to think, feel, or do anything. While I was functioning on the outside, I felt dead on the inside. I would live my day on auto-pilot, not caring or feeling much. When I was doing other things or out with friends, it would partly take my mind off the topic. But when I was by myself, I would feel a deep void. It was a very empty feeling. It wasn’t even about feeling bad or negative. It was just a feeling of emptiness; like a state of apathy.

After a few days of living in a void though, I decided it was enough. I am usually a vibrant, upbeat person and it was sick feeling so empty. I started to pick myself up and think about how I could improve my emotional state.

I did a lot of introspection regarding my situation. I shared my thoughts with several good friends and talked through the issue with them. It was interesting, getting different perspectives. One thing I love most about talking to others is the diversity of thoughts you get. Their responses reflect a certain aspect about themselves.

After deep thought, I received these key insights.

My Revelations About My Situation

I realized the reason I was so disappointed was because I had become overly attached to my end goal. I had narrowly defined ‘living my purpose’ to only happen when I’m running my personal development business full time.

But this should not be the case at all. If I had to go back to corporate given my circumstance, it would not mean that I wasn’t living my purpose. If anything, going back to work allows me to live my purpose , since it gives me financially security in the meantime. It is the best course of action to live true to my purpose within my circumstance.

I was getting too caught up in the belief that ‘living my purpose’ would only happen when I have my business up and running. That’s defining it too simplistically. Living my purpose is a way of being ; it’s something that translates into many actions, from my day-to-day decisions, to my interactions with people, to my thoughts and feelings, and so on. As long as I ensure everything I do each day is in alignment with that , nothing else really matters.

When I came to this realization, my end goal suddenly lost its significance. I mean it’s nice and all when everything takes off, but it doesn’t matter much since I’m already living my purpose right now.

Additionally, while I initially saw returning to work as a setback in terms of my goal to pursue my passion, I realized that it really isn’t. Being aware of these barriers is a progress in itself . Instead of carrying my original belief that everything can be up and running in 6 months, I can now better act towards my goals with what I have learned. This experience gave me new knowledge, new insights, and a new perspective. As I incorporate these lessons into my plan, I am in fact progressing towards my goals, and not moving away from it as I had initially thought.

The epiphanies shook me out of my void. I found out that my feeling of disappointment was totally redundant and misplaced. Suddenly, I began to regain my passion for life. If anything, I’m now more optimistic about life. :)

Life after the Experience

In the past few weeks since shaking myself out of my disappointment, it feels like I’m operating at a higher consciousness level. I feel an increased sense of awareness and clarity about myself and everything around me.

This experience has made me realize many lessons and blind spots that I was previously not privy to. This has helped me grow as a person. It is a very empowering feeling, like nothing can ever get me down anymore. This feeling is extremely, extremely liberating. If you have overcome a stage of deep disappointment before, you will know what I mean. It’s like what Henry Ward Beecher meant with, “One’s best success comes after their greatest disappointments,” and what Friedrich Nietzsche meant with “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”

If you are wondering about the future of this blog after I return to work, don’t worry – I will continue to write and work on my personal development business in full force, whether I return to corporate or not. This is my purpose, this is my life. In a matter of time, the foundations of this business will strengthen to the point where I can do this full time, as my career. :)

Update #1 (Mar 2009):  A month after I wrote this post, I decided to work on my personal development business full time and not return to a corporate day job. :) For more details, read the post Embracing My Passion .

Update #2 (Dec 2017):  Since writing this post, I’ve built PE into my full-fledged career. I share the steps of my journey in my passion series .

Hi, I’m Celes. Thanks for reading. Personal Excellence is where I write about how to live our best life as we tackle life’s challenges.  About Me »

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My History with Anger and How I Let Go of It, Part 3: Healing From My Anger

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Dealing with Disappointment

• Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries

There are more- and less-healthy ways to cope with it.

Disappointments are inevitable, and how we cope with them is often a defining moment in our lives. How we respond to disappointment is often influenced by our upbringing; some people seek to avoid disappointment by underachieving (setting their expectations permanently low) while others seek to avoid it by overachieving (setting their expectations unattainably high). Regardless of which way we lean, we can learn to respond healthily to disappointment by adopting a coping style that seeks to understand what happened, checks whether our expectations were reasonable, reevaluates our perceptions and behaviors, and seeks positive solutions instead of dwelling on the past. Introspection can be helpful, but rumination is often not. Although disappointment is inevitable, being discouraged is always a choice.

Robert didn’t know what to think. How could he have misjudged the situation so badly? He felt angry, sad, and betrayed.

• MV Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries is a management scholar, a psychoanalyst, and an executive coach. He is the Distinguished Clinical Professor of Leadership Development and Organizational Change at INSEAD.

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Essays About Journeys: Top 5 Examples and 7 Easy Prompts

Essays about journeys require recounting the events of your travel. Discover our guide with examples and prompts to help you write your essay.

No two journeys are the same, and various factors will always be at play. It’s the reason many documents their expedition through different mediums. Writing about journeys is similar to telling a real-life story that influenced your character or perspective. 

Writing essays about journeys helps to develop your writing and observation skills as you recall and pick the highlights of your travel. Sharing your experiences can entice readers to take on a journey themselves. So, aim to inspire with this exciting essay topic.

5 Essay Examples

1. the best journey in my life by suzanne pittman, 2. road trips: everything you need for a comfortable journey by car by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 3. the first day of my journey to adulthood by anonymous on papersowl.com, 4. life is a journey essay by anonymous on paperwritings.com, 5. long essay on train journey by prasanna, 1. reasons to go on a journey, 2. trip vs. journey, 3. how to enjoy long journeys, 4. my most memorable journey, 5. what makes a journey meaningful, 6. my dream journey, 7. a hero’s journey.

“I had to save a lot of money because I wanted very much to go on this journey with my friends. We planned our trip to take us around Europe. We were going to stop in various parts of Europe with family members and friends.”

The essay mimics Pittman’s travel itinerary during her journey in Europe. She includes all the trip details from the first to the last day and makes the readers feel as if they’re traveling with them. Pittman also offers some travel tips to help anyone who wants to visit Europe on a budget. These tips include staying with friends and relatives and taking comfortable train rides despite long distances.

“With proper planning, everything else seems effortless. You need to consider all factors when planning in order for you to enjoy a successful, stress-free adventure.”

The author believes that the primary purpose of traveling is to relax and have fun. They use the essay to teach how to plan car trips properly. Travelers must learn to budget and estimate expenses, including accommodation, gas, activities, and food. Picking a transportation means is also crucial as one needs to consider factors such as capacity, range, and utility. 

“Although things didn’t go how I planned I’m still in college bettering myself and furthering my education. Anything is possible with a good support system and positive mindset.”

The essay narrates how the author’s journey into adulthood becomes a mini-vacation in Georgia after their top university rejects their enrollment. This rejection offers the opportunity to understand many great life lessons. Despite having five other universities to choose from, the writer realizes they only provide free tuition for the first semester. Ultimately, the author receives a full scholarship to a university closer to home.

“All people have the same journey to take – their life. As well as in the other journeys, there may be some inconveniences, disappointments and joys, and a lot depends on how we plan this particular journey and what attitude we develop towards it.”

In this essay, the writer shares that the best way to go on a life journey is with the most joy and minor damage you can endure. It’s constant work to continuously improve one’s life while developing positive qualities and thinking. But in doing so, you’ll have a solid foundation to achieve what you want out of life. However, the author still reminds the readers that they should always be ready to face unexpected events and deal with them in the best way possible.

“These days, people prefer traveling via airplanes because it is time-saving. But going by plane gets boring and monotonous. Train journeys are a relief from the monotony.”

For Prasanna, whether it’s a short or extended tour, a train journey offers an exciting travel experience. She talks about the local and regional trains in India, which are often overcrowded but still used by many as they are the cheapest, safest, and fastest mode of transport in the country. She also mentions that you’ll never get hungry when riding their local trains because of the vendors who sell Indian delicacies. 

7 Prompts for Essays About Journeys 

Everyone has different motives for traveling. Some go on a journey to appreciate beautiful sceneries, while some move to attend family or work-related gatherings. Some do so to run away from problems. For this prompt, research the common reasons to travel. You can also interview people on why they go on a journey and add any personal experiences. 

It’s a trip when a person travels from one point to another without any transfers. Meanwhile, a journey is a more extended voyage that includes transfers and several trips. Compare and contrast trips and journeys to make your readers understand their similarities and differences. You can also have the advantages and disadvantages of each in your paper.

If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

The idea of having a long journey and discovering new things is exciting. However, the excitement can disappear when you’re far away from home. This is especially true for longer and farther travels. This prompt will help readers have a safer, more affordable, and more enjoyable trip by discussing the best long-distance travel tips. You can present an imaginary itinerary with estimated costs to make the essay more digestible.

Write about an unforgettable journey you’ve had through this prompt. Include the purpose of your travel, how you planned it, and if your timetable was followed. Share what you’ll improve on next time to make your journey even better; you can also talk about your companions and the activities that make the adventure worthwhile.

Journeys become meaningful when they enrich lives. It can be because of the destination, the people you are with, or the travel’s goal. Use this prompt to suggest how journeys improve us as humans. You can section your piece based on an individual’s objectives. For example, someone who wants to recharge and get away from the city will find meaning in going to a location far from technology.

Although traveling can be tiring, 43% of travelers appreciate the experience they gain. Think of journeys you desire to be in and add your reasons. Then, you can share your plan on how to make it happen. For instance, you want to tour Southeast Asia and visit countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand. To make this dream journey come true, you’ll save for an entire year and work around a tight budget.

It’s normal to see the main character in a movie or novel go through a character arc before they become a true hero. Use this prompt to explain a hero’s journey and why the character must go through it. To give you an idea, Peter Parker was a shy and introverted kid who lived an everyday life before becoming Spider-Man. This makes him relatable to the audience and lets them understand his decisions in the following scenes.

For more examples, check out our guide to movies that follow the hero’s journey .

You can also talk about real-life heroes, such as doctors and firefighters. Interview someone with that profession and ask them why they decided to have their current career.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Rejection Sensitivity

6 strategies for managing disappointments, how to navigate the aftereffects of rejection..

Posted June 16, 2022 | Reviewed by Vanessa Lancaster

• Taking time to remember the specific reasons for our pursuits provides a valuable perspective on disappointing outcomes.
• Acknowledging our feelings of disappointment, however painful, reduces the initial sting while preparing us to continue taking healthy chances.
• Evaluating the discrepancy between expectations and outcomes can reveal alternative approaches to achieving our goals.

When outcomes don’t live up to our expectations, when our hopes are rejected, we feel disappointment—a distinctive combination of frustration, sadness, loss, and anger that can have ramifications for future behavior.

We can feel disappointment over a range of outcomes—large, small, and in between. The greater the disparity between outcomes and expectations, the greater the disappointment. Managing our disappointments helps us in the short term by tempering the initial sting of an unpleasant outcome. And it helps in the long run by showing that avoiding disappointment shouldn’t deter us from seeking change and opportunity.

Here are six strategies for managing disappointment.

1. Remembering Why We Took the Chance in the First Place

After a disappointment, it’s useful to set aside the outcome for a moment and recall the reasons and motivations for our efforts. Most of us concentrate on getting through the present, so afterward, it takes effort to remember what led to our actions. Outcomes often obscure the primary influences.

By placing ourselves back in time and recreating the original context, we can better understand our initial choices. In that way, we can accurately evaluate our reasons and motivations without the influence of hindsight bias .

2. Acknowledging Our Feelings

We really did want the job, and the rejection was unpleasant. We shouldn’t dwell on the outcome, but we also shouldn’t engage in premature positivity. Accepting the emotion of disappointment, however painful, allows us to understand our disappointment more fully.

This understanding then removes the power of disappointment and diminishes its future influence, opening us up to a wider spectrum of opportunities later. If we know how disappointment feels, it’s not as ominous when deciding about future endeavors. Moreover, recognizing our disappointment makes us more self-aware in general.

3. Evaluating Our Expectations

Were our expectations realistic? Depending on our answer, we may change our approach or our expectations. In Worstward Ho , Samuel Beckett wrote, “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” Although Beckett didn’t intend inspiration, his words can be interpreted that way. And they can also be augmented. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. Try again differently, possibly succeed.

We may also consider making the same effort while lowering our expectations of success, thereby reducing disappointment if the outcome is the same. We shouldn’t repeat this strategy too often, but sometimes it’s useful to take the attitude that it couldn’t hurt, so it’s worth trying again.

If people say, “I am so disappointed in you,” that disappointment is also an interaction between expectations and outcomes efforts. Were their expectations reasonable?

4. Limiting Extrapolation

Having one proposal rejected doesn’t mean the next one will be . Being turned down from one graduate program–or five–doesn’t mean we should quit applying. Even after an entire round of rejections, we can talk to professors and other students to get feedback. And with this new knowledge, we may apply to different programs or change our approach the following year. Similarly, do not interpolate. A disappointing outcome does not make a person a disappointment.

5. Reframing the Events

After a disappointing outcome, we can focus on finding a benefit. This reframing is neither denial nor bland positivism. (“It was meant to be.") It’s a sound and specific reinterpretation. If an ambitious proposal is turned down, we can appreciate the extra time available for other desirable activities.

More broadly, disappointment teaches us that we can overcome disappointment, boosting resilience .

Reframing larger disappointments can allow us to devote energy to new opportunities. Reframing small disappointments in our daily lives can lead to immediate improvements with long-term benefits. Admittedly, this is a minor event, but I went bowling with a friend whose superior athleticism was tangible, astonishing, and unbeatable. Instead of trying to win, I took the opportunity to practice different methods for spinning the ball. I lost spectacularly, but I improved my game.

Viewing such small losses as disappointments dilutes the power of labeling an outcome as disappointing—for larger events.

6. Considering Probabilities

Apply the laws of probability, the most dependable laws on Earth. The sun will come up tomorrow morning, but chances are we won’t see a rainbow. If we engage in behavior where success is unlikely (such as sending unsolicited manuscripts to The New Yorker for publication), we will most likely be rejected. We can choose to continue with the difficult opportunity and lower our expectations of success, thereby decreasing disappointment. Or we can maintain our expectations and try a more likely endeavor, such as submitting to a local publication or an online platform that encourages new writers.

On the flip side, if we were really expecting a favorable outcome and thought we had it, the laws of probability also tell us that unlikely events do happen once in a great while. The turkey that sees the farmer every day and gets food does not expect what will happen the day before Thanksgiving when the farmer approaches without food.

Our disappointments are not that dire—perhaps an unexpected loss of funding for a new position or the sudden reappearance of an old romantic partner of the person we are dating . But in these unlikely cases, we should always look back and acknowledge that the unusual and unlikely can occur.

We can manage disappointments and not allow them to dampen the liveliness of our lives.

Robert N. Kraft, Ph.D. , is a professor of cognitive psychology at Otterbein University.

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How to reboot after disappointment at work, we can bounce back better from a disappointment if we pay more attention to our internal dialogue..

All of us have experienced disappointment, sadness, and setbacks at work.

A few years ago, Julien served as an academic leader at a regional university for three years. He gave his full heart and soul to the role. He was on a mission to do good. At the same time, the university was undergoing a budget crisis that culminated with the global pandemic. The university had no choice but to restructure, and, when it did, Julien lost his role and returned to the faculty. 

In the crucible of organizational change, Julie hit a crossroads after dedicating 15 years to building an impactful organizational development team at a prominent health system. Devoted to fostering growth for her team, employees, and patients, she was struck by harsh reality when financial constraints led to the restructuring and outsourcing of leadership development and learning initiatives. She lost her job.

You might experience disappointment at work in many ways: a long-term project does not come to fruition, a new position opens up and you don’t get it, or your hard work does not pay off.

Faced with a sense of loss and disappointment, we have no choice but to respond. In his famous work Man’s Search for Meaning , psychiatrist Viktor Frankl wrote that every person is questioned by life and can only answer to life by being responsible. In each of us, he proposed, we have a responsibility—or the ability to respond.  Whether you are a leader who lost a job or an opportunity, an entrepreneur starting a new business, or simply facing a personal challenge, your ability to respond (and how likely you are to bounce back) is partly shaped by the way you talk with and to yourself. Below, we share three easy-to-use strategies for positive self-talk. We invite you to pay attention to your typical thought patterns, learn to catch and respond to negative thoughts, and reboot after a disappointment. 

1. Use positive self-affirmations

A first strategy is to short-circuit your negative thoughts by using positive self-affirmations. Positive self-affirmations include any phrase that reminds you of who you are as a person and serve as an encouragement to stay resilient in the face of adversity. “I am enough,” “I believe in my dreams,” or “I have the capacity to overcome this moment” are all examples of positive affirmations.

According to researchers , self-affirmations serve a number of important functions. Self-affirmations

• boost confidence,
• broaden our perspective, 
• decrease the impact a negative event will have on you, and
• promote an optimistic outlook. 

Researchers David K. Sherman and Kimberly A. Hartson explain that self-affirmation resolves the “tension between self-protection and self-improvement.” In other words, effective positive self-affirmations will help you accept the reality of your situation and address it with assertiveness and flexibility, giving you the courage to try new things. 

Julie’s recent encounter with a young entrepreneur underscored the transformative power of gaining a different perspective, particularly when caught in the clutches of self-doubt and uncertainty. During a coaching session addressing the entrepreneur’s concerns about the future, Julie asked: “If you had a friend facing a similar situation, what advice would you offer them?” The response, a profound realization, emphasized the importance of being gentle toward the self: “I would say, ‘Give yourself some grace.’” 

By offering ourselves the same kindness and understanding we readily provide to others, we create space for growth. Acknowledging that progress may unfold gradually, you can short-circuit your negative thoughts right in their tracks: “I am granting myself some grace today. I am in the process of learning.” This shift in perspective can encourage your resilience, your openness to possibilities, and a compassionate approach to your own journey.

In the popular Netflix show Sex Education , one of the main characters, Michael Groff, has much to teach us about rebooting from disappointment. After serving for years as the headmaster of a school, he gets fired (and deserves it). His wife also leaves him because he has been ignoring her for years. He goes through a difficult time but begins to piece his life together again with the help of a therapist. At the opening of season 4, Michael Groff walks into a new school as a substitute teacher. He stops for a moment in the hallway, takes a piece of paper out of his pocket, and reads it to himself: “I am here. I am enough. I am learning to be a better person.”

2. Reframe your mindset (and accept reality)

As Julien transitioned after the job loss, he took some time to reflect about the past and the future and to squeeze some learning from the experience. During this time, he would talk to his father over the phone, who reminded him to look at the situation differently. His father said: “Look at this opportunity you have been given. This is a gift”; “You have the opportunity to focus on your real strengths, and to invest time and energy in writing, research, teaching, and speaking—all things you love to do.” Gradually, the phrase resonated with Julien and became a source of inner strength: “This moment is a gift, and I can use it to do what I love.”

As we move past disappointment, it’s not uncommon to explore uncharted territories. This endeavor comes with its own entourage of fear and doubt. In the face of our fears, it can be helpful to look at the situation from a different perspective —to change the meaning we give to what’s happening. 

In Julie’s coaching practice, there was a young entrepreneur who was on the cusp of a necessary pivot, grappling with the impending change. Julie asked: “What is holding you back?” The answer was safety. 

Gaining Perspective on Negative

Events Take a step back and analyze your feelings without ruminating

In the session, Julie encouraged her client: “Embrace the trembling uncertainty because, let’s face it, you’re already trembling.” She said: “You are right where you’re supposed to be. Let that be your sassy mantra as you navigate the thrilling terrain of the unknown. Life’s an adventure, and you’re the audacious protagonist—scared, but oh-so-ready for the plot twist!”

“Do it scared. You’re already scared anyway,” she quipped. She challenged them to confront the fear head-on and acknowledge that, yes, it’s terrifying, but it’s also a crucial step toward unleashing their genius. 

“You are right where you’re supposed to be” became a mantra, a rallying cry against the inertia of fear for that entrepreneur. For many of us, embracing the unknown isn’t just a suggestion; it is a declaration of intent—an audacious move toward our full potential. This can be a helpful way for all of us to reframe our mindset whenever we face the unknown.

3. Ask big questions

Most disappointments are triggered by our failed expectations. We imagine certain results, goals, and plans and clearly expect to meet them. We have expectations about people and situations, too. When those expectations aren’t met, disappointment arises. 

In his meditations, Thich Nhat Hanh says, “Every time sadness or anger or disappointment surface, you have the capacity to deal with it. Because your anger, your disappointment, is part of you, don’t fight against it.” Instead, he advocates, “return to the breath.” Once you are there, ask yourself and others big questions to reboot and begin the path of self-recovery.

Part of the gift that Julien’s father was referencing is the opportunity to reconsider what is important, to rediscover our real strengths, and to perhaps choose a path that would be more fitting or joyful—in other words, a personal transformation. As research by Jack Mezirow and others finds, when self-transformation occurs, we adopt a new definition of self, a new passion for life, and a greater sense of power and freedom. That process can be initiated by communication within the self, which we can trigger with meaningful questions like these:

• What are you dreaming about now?
• What are your core strengths, and how do you want to use them this time?
• What do you want out of your career or personal life?
• What gives you joy?
• What do you do when you feel at your best?
• What are some things that you are doing when other people see you at your best?
• What will you do to respond productively? 

Right inside the word “question” is the word “quest.” When you begin the process of inquiry, you will begin the quest to respond.

Disappointment and major setbacks are a natural part of any professional career. How you respond to setbacks is what makes the difference. Consider these phrases for managing your inner voice: 

• “I am granting myself some grace today. I am in the process of learning.”
• “I am here. I am enough. I am learning to be a better person.”
• “Do it scared. You’re already scared anyway.”
• “You are right where you’re supposed to be.”
• “This moment is a gift and I can use it to do what I love.”
• “Return to the breath”
• “What will I do to respond?”

Remember, there is no timeline for recovering and rebooting from disappointment. Early in the process, neither of us could see losing our leadership role as a gift; it was simply too painful. Before you start to focus on the positives and opportunities, you can be kind to yourself by simply allowing yourself to feel the disappointment, shock, or loss itself.

As you reboot from your own disappointment, we hope you find the inspiration to grant yourself some grace, embrace the learning process, confront your fears, and acknowledge the transformative potential in every moment. Positive self-talk can be your catalyst for change.

About the Authors

Julien C. Mirivel

Julien C. Mirivel, Ph.D. , is professor of applied communication at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, an author, and a professional speaker. His mission is to inspire people of all walks of life to communicate more positively at work and at home. To learn more, visit  julienmirivel.com .

Julie Allison

Julie Allison , a seasoned executive learning & development leader with two decades of experience, currently serves as the executive director at Arkansas Fellowship, shaping strategic visions and mentoring emerging business leaders. As the CEO of JKA Consulting, LLC, she specializes in leadership and executive coaching, emphasizing individual potential and aligning strengths with diverse industry goals.

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Preparation starts here, descriptive essay on a bad journey, a bad journey: descriptive essay writing.

“Travelling is a sort of educations among the younger people”, said Bacon. Perhaps, he had a disappointing journey in his mind. For it gives more experience and enables to develop more courage. Hazlitt, in one of his essays, says that a journey becomes enjoyable if one hopes to get a good meal and a good rest after a tiring journey, and adds that traveling hopefully gives the maximum happiness perhaps he had no experience of a disappointing journey which is more instructive.

It was a day of disappointments. And being an optimist I did not attach much importance to bad omens. First of all the auto I hired to the railway station rattled noisily and emitted more smoke than an ordinary vehicle can. But I had limited time at my disposal, so I decided to travel by it.

After a short distance I was panting like an extremely tired person and came to a sudden stop. It was the first disappointment. Somehow I reached the station jumping into anther auto but I found a long queue at the ticket counter. There were only a few minutes for the train to leave, yet there was no hope of reaching the ticket window. This was the second disappointment. I decided to travel without ticket and pay the fare.

Boarding the train was itself an ordeal. Despite my healthy body I was sandwiched and my luggage was mercilessly trampled upon. Still I managed to wriggle into a corner. There I found some persons smoking cigarettes. And I could not rather stand that smell nor could I move an inch. I covered my nose with my handkerchief, but the bad smell was choking me.

As expected the ticket checker came and I willingly told him about my inability to buy the ticket. He looked him about my inability to buy the ticket. He looked at me with strange eyes and all passengers stared at me. The ticker checker was not going to allow me to travel but I protested and told him that if a passenger was prepared to pay the fine, he could be allowed to travel. After much discussion, I convinced him and heaved a sigh of relief.

As I reached my destination, I was thanking god. I was thinking that I would meet my uncle and aunt with a broad smile and their hospitality would make me forget the ordeals of the journey. I was dreaming of it, while the rickshaw-puller was pulling the vehicle in a half sleep manner. To my great disappointment, I found that my uncle and aunt had gone to Chennai for a month and the house was locked. This was the greatest disappointment. I did not have much money for return trip. I did not want to recall this disappointing journey further because that makes me extremely sad. That was A Bad Journey.

Essay on An Unforgettable Journey

Students are often asked to write an essay on An Unforgettable Journey in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on An Unforgettable Journey

The beginning of the journey.

My unforgettable journey began when I boarded a train to visit my grandparents. The bustling station, filled with people, was exciting.

The Traveling Experience

On the train, I met different people. We shared stories, food, and laughter. The changing landscape outside was mesmerizing.

The Arrival

As I arrived, my grandparents’ warm welcome filled my heart with joy. Their small town had its unique charm.

This journey was unforgettable because of the people I met, the sights I saw, and the experiences I had. It taught me to appreciate the beauty of life.

250 Words Essay on An Unforgettable Journey

The prelude: a journey begins.

Every journey has a story, and every story has a protagonist. In this case, the protagonist was me, a college student yearning for an adventure. I embarked on a journey that was not just about traversing geographical distances but also about self-discovery.

The Adventure: Embracing the Unknown

My journey began in the bustling city of Mumbai and led me to the serene landscapes of Ladakh. The stark contrast between the two places was as different as day and night. The city’s chaos was replaced by the tranquility of mountains, and the skyscrapers were replaced by towering peaks. The journey was not smooth; there were unexpected challenges and hurdles, but they only added to the thrill.

The Epiphany: Lessons Learnt

The journey taught me resilience, patience, and the ability to appreciate the little things in life. It made me realize how insignificant our daily worries are in the grand scheme of things. The journey unveiled the raw beauty of nature and the simple lifestyle of the locals, which was a stark contrast to the materialistic life in the city.

The Aftermath: An Unforgettable Journey

The journey was not just about the destination; it was about the experiences, the people, and the lessons learned. It was an unforgettable journey that left an indelible mark on me. It was a journey that transformed me, a journey that I will carry in my heart forever. It was indeed an unforgettable journey, a journey of a lifetime.

In conclusion, every journey is a story waiting to be told, and every story is a journey waiting to be taken. It’s the journey, not the destination, that shapes us.

500 Words Essay on An Unforgettable Journey

The prelude to the journey.

Every journey is a mosaic of experiences, a tapestry of memories woven together over time. One such unforgettable journey that left an indelible mark on my life was a trekking expedition to the Himalayas.

Embarking on the Adventure

The journey began with an overnight train ride from Delhi to a small town nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas. As the train chugged along, the urban landscape gradually gave way to the serene beauty of the countryside. The excitement was palpable, not just for the destination, but also for the journey itself.

The trek was a test of endurance, courage, and perseverance. The terrain was treacherous, the weather unpredictable, and the altitude sickness a constant threat. But the sight of the majestic mountains, the sound of the bubbling streams, and the smell of the fresh mountain air made it all worthwhile. Every step taken was a step closer to self-discovery, every challenge faced a lesson in resilience.

The Epiphany

The pinnacle of the trek was an ethereal sunrise from the summit. As the first rays of the sun kissed the snow-capped peaks, the world seemed to stand still. It was a moment of profound clarity, a realization of our insignificance in the grand scheme of things, and yet, a recognition of our potential to conquer our fears and overcome our limitations.

The Descent and Beyond

The descent was no less challenging, but the sense of accomplishment and the memories made along the way made it easier. The journey was not just about reaching the summit, but also about the bonds forged, the friendships nurtured, and the stories shared. It was a journey of self-discovery, of pushing boundaries, and of finding joy in the journey itself.

Reflecting upon this unforgettable journey, I realized that it was a microcosm of life itself. Just like the trek, life is full of ups and downs, challenges and triumphs. It is not the destination, but the journey that shapes us, that defines us. It is the experiences we gather, the lessons we learn, and the memories we make that truly matter. This unforgettable journey was a testament to the fact that it is not the mountains we conquer, but ourselves.

In conclusion, an unforgettable journey is not merely a physical journey from one place to another, but also a journey of the mind and the soul. It is about stepping out of our comfort zones, challenging ourselves, and growing in the process. It is about embracing the journey, with all its challenges and triumphs, and making it a part of our story.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on A Memorable Journey
• Essay on A Journey by Train
• Essay on A Journey by Bus

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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How to Answer "What Has Been Your Biggest Disappointment?" (With Sample Answers)

by Daniel Wolken

Published at: December 15, 2023

When preparing for an interview, you may encounter the question, "What has been your biggest disappointment?" This inquiry is not meant to trip you up, but rather to glean insight into your resilience and ability to navigate challenges. It's an opportunity to showcase your problem-solving skills and your growth mindset.

Thoughtful reflection on your experiences, focusing on constructive outcomes rather than the disappointment itself, will result in a balanced and impactful response.

It is vital to choose an example that led to personal or professional development, ensuring that your answer communicates self-awareness, reflection, and a proactive stance toward overcoming setbacks while working from home .

Why Employers Ask This Question?

When you're in an interview, employers often ask about your greatest disappointments to gauge your self-awareness and resilience . Understanding how you perceive and overcome challenges is crucial to them, as it can illustrate your:

• Problem-solving skills: How effectively you can navigate through tough situations.
• Growth mindset: Your ability to learn from your setbacks and use them to improve.
• Emotional intelligence: Your recognition and management of emotions---yours and others'.
• Professional maturity: How you handle feedback and constructive criticism.
• Honesty and Accountability: To determine if you can be transparent about your experiences and if you take responsibility for your actions and their outcomes.
• Alignment with company values: Whether your attitude and learning experiences match the company culture.
• Future potential: How your past disappointments have primed you for future roles, particularly in challenging or high-pressure situations.

How to Answer "What Has Been The Greatest Disappointment In Your Life With Examples"?

When approaching the question, "What has been your biggest disappointment?" focus on transforming a negative scenario into a reflection of your resilience and capacity to grow.

• Choose a Relevant Example: Select a disappointment that is relevant to the context of the interview . Ideally, it should relate to your professional life, but if the question is asked in a personal context, you can choose a disappointment from your personal life.
• Keep It Professional: If you're in a job interview, focus on professional disappointments rather than personal ones. Avoid discussing highly personal or sensitive issues unless it's relevant to the job or the interviewer encourages such discussions.
• Provide Context: Start by briefly explaining the situation or circumstances that led to the disappointment. Provide enough context so that the person you're speaking to can understand the situation.
• Explain Your Feelings : Describe how you felt when the disappointment occurred. Be honest about your emotions, but avoid being overly negative or critical. Use language that conveys your feelings without making it sound like you're dwelling on the disappointment.
• Highlight What You Learned: The most important part of your response is to explain what you learned from the disappointment. Emphasize how you turned the disappointment into a valuable learning experience. Discuss the skills , insights, or personal growth that resulted from the setback.
• Show Resilience and Adaptability: Discuss how you bounced back from the disappointment and adapted to the situation. Employers value candidates who can handle setbacks and challenges with resilience and a positive attitude.
• Connect It to the Job : If you're in a job interview, tie your response back to the position you're applying for. Explain how the lessons you learned from your biggest disappointment have made you a stronger and more suitable candidate for the remote job .
• Stay Positive: Maintain a positive and constructive tone throughout your response. Avoid blaming others or dwelling on negativity. Focus on the personal and professional growth that resulted from the disappointment.

Sample Answers For Interview Question "What Is Your Greatest Disappointment"?

When addressing the interview question about your biggest disappointment, it's essential to show personal growth and the ability to learn from challenges. Here are three sample answers that demonstrate resilience and positive outcomes from disappointing experiences.

Sample Answer 1: Missed Promotion Opportunity

"I was eager to advance to a managerial role, but when the opportunity arose, the position was given to a colleague. At first, I was deeply disappointed. However, this experience taught me to communicate more effectively about my career goals. I enrolled in a leadership course, which not only improved my skills but also showed my commitment. When I reapplied for a promotion six months later, I was successful."

Sample Answer 2: Unsuccessful Project

"In my previous role as a Sales head , a project I led did not meet the desired outcomes, despite my team's hard work. Initially, it felt like a significant setback. Reflecting on this, I understood the importance of flexibility and proactive risk management. I implemented these lessons in subsequent projects, leading to a series of successes and an award for innovation."

Sample Answer 3: Project Cancellation

"My team was working on a project I was particularly excited about, but it got unexpectedly canceled. I was responsible for the initial research and presentation to stakeholders. After the cancellation, I repurposed some of our work for a finance project. This helped us salvage our efforts and maintain team morale."

Sample Answer 4: Overlooked for a Leadership Role

"I was passionate about taking on a leadership role within a volunteer organization, and when I wasn't chosen, I was disappointed. Instead of letting this hold me back, I sought feedback and learned the value of showing consistent dedication in my role as a content writer . I continued to volunteer with enthusiasm, and within a year, I was not only given a leadership position but also recognized as Volunteer of the Year."

If you are searching for a remote job at and need help finding where to look? DailyRemote is a remote job board with the latest jobs in various categories to help you. Join like-minded people in our LinkedIn and Facebook community.

Explore Other Interview Questions

How to Answer "How Do You Handle Criticism"?

How to Answer "Tell Me About Yourself?" in an Interview?

How to Answer "What is your Experience with Customer Service"?

How to Answer "Describe Your Experience Working With Diverse Teams Or Different Cultures"?

How to Answer The Interview Question "What Sets You Apart From Other Candidates"?

How to Answer "Why Are You The Best Person For This Job"?

How to Answer "Tell Me About A Time When You Had To Balance Competing Priorities"?

How to Answer "Why Should We Hire You"?

How to Answer "What Areas Need Improvement"?

How to Answer "Tell Me About A Time When You Had to Work Under Pressure?"

How to Answer “Tell Me About a Time You Received Constructive Feedback”?

How to Answer "What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment"?

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Guest Essay

When I Became a Birder, Almost Everything Else Fell Into Place

Mr. Yong is a science writer whose most recent book, “An Immense World,” investigates animal perception.

Last September, I drove to a protected wetland near my home in Oakland, Calif., walked to the end of a pier and started looking at birds. Throughout the summer, I was breaking in my first pair of binoculars, a Sibley field guide and the Merlin song-identification app, but always while hiking or walking the dog. On that pier, for the first time, I had gone somewhere solely to watch birds.

In some birding circles, people say that anyone who looks at birds is a birder — a kind, inclusive sentiment that overlooks the forces that create and shape subcultures. Anyone can dance, but not everyone would identify as a dancer, because the term suggests, if not skill, then at least effort and intent. Similarly, I’ve cared about birds and other animals for my entire life, and I’ve written about them throughout my two decades as a science writer, but I mark the moment when I specifically chose to devote time and energy to them as the moment I became a birder.

Since then, my birder derangement syndrome has progressed at an alarming pace. Seven months ago, I was still seeing very common birds for the first time. Since then, I’ve seen 452 species, including 337 in the United States, and 307 this year alone. I can reliably identify a few dozen species by ear. I can tell apart greater and lesser yellowlegs, house and purple finches, Cooper’s and sharp-shinned hawks. (Don’t talk to me about gulls; I’m working on the gulls.) I keep abreast of eBird’s rare bird alerts and have spent many days — some glorious, others frustrating — looking for said rare birds. I know what it means to dip, to twitch, to pish . I’ve gone owling.

I didn’t start from scratch. A career spent writing about nature gave me enough avian biology and taxonomy to roughly know the habitats and silhouettes of the major groups. Journalism taught me how to familiarize myself with unfamiliar territory very quickly. I crowdsourced tips on the social media platform Bluesky . I went out with experienced birders to learn how they move through a landscape and what cues they attend to.

I studied up on birds that are famously difficult to identify so that when I first saw them in the field, I had an inkling of what they were without having to check a field guide. I used the many tools now available to novices: EBird shows where other birders go and reveals how different species navigate space and time; Merlin is best known as an identification app but is secretly an incredible encyclopedia; Birding Quiz lets you practice identifying species based on fleeting glances at bad angles.

This all sounds rather extra, and birding is often defined by its excesses. At its worst, it becomes an empty process of collection that turns living things into abstract numbers on meaningless lists. But even that style of birding is harder without knowledge. To find the birds, you have to know them. And in the process of knowing them, much else falls into place.

Birding has tripled the time I spend outdoors. It has pushed me to explore Oakland in ways I never would have: Amazing hot spots lurk within industrial areas, sewage treatment plants and random residential parks. It has proved more meditative than meditation. While birding, I seem impervious to heat, cold, hunger and thirst. My senses focus resolutely on the present, and the usual hubbub in my head becomes quiet. When I spot a species for the first time — a lifer — I course with adrenaline while being utterly serene.

I also feel a much deeper connection to the natural world, which I have long written about but always remained slightly distant from. I knew that the loggerhead shrike — a small but ferocious songbird — impales the bodies of its prey on spikes. I’ve now seen one doing that with my own eyes. I know where to find the shrikes and what they sound like. Countless fragments of unrooted trivia that rattled around my brain are now grounded in place, time and experience.

When I step out my door in the morning, I take an aural census of the neighborhood, tuning in to the chatter of creatures that were always there and that I might have previously overlooked. The passing of the seasons feels more granular, marked by the arrival and disappearance of particular species instead of much slower changes in day length, temperature and greenery. I find myself noticing small shifts in the weather and small differences in habitat. I think about the tides.

So much more of the natural world feels close and accessible now. When I started birding, I remember thinking that I’d never see most of the species in my field guide. Sure, backyard birds like robins and western bluebirds would be easy, but not black skimmers or peregrine falcons or loggerhead shrikes. I had internalized the idea of nature as distant and remote — the province of nature documentaries and far-flung vacations. But in the past six months, I’ve seen soaring golden eagles, heard duetting great horned owls, watched dancing sandhill cranes and marveled at diving Pacific loons, all within an hour of my house. “I’ll never see that” has turned into “Where can I find that?”

Of course, having the time to bird is an immense privilege. As a freelancer, I have total control over my hours and my ability to get out in the field. “Are you a retiree?” a fellow birder recently asked me. “You’re birding like a retiree.” I laughed, but the comment spoke to the idea that things like birding are what you do when you’re not working, not being productive.

I reject that. These recent years have taught me that I’m less when I’m not actively looking after myself, that I have value to my world and my community beyond ceaseless production and that pursuits like birding that foster joy, wonder and connection to place are not sidebars to a fulfilled life but their essence.

It’s easy to think of birding as an escape from reality. Instead, I see it as immersion in the true reality. I don’t need to know who the main characters are on social media and what everyone is saying about them, when I can instead spend an hour trying to find a rare sparrow. It’s very clear to me which of those two activities is the more ridiculous. It’s not the one with the sparrow.

More of those sparrows are imminent. I’m about to witness my first spring migration as warblers and other delights pass through the Bay Area. Birds I’ve seen only in drab grays are about to don their spectacular breeding plumages. Familiar species are about to burst out in new tunes that I’ll have to learn. I have my first lazuli bunting to see, my first blue grosbeak to find, my first least terns to photograph. I can’t wait.

Ed Yong is a science writer whose most recent book, “An Immense World,” investigates animal perception.

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