The trouble with getting back to writing after a really long time is that you don’t know where to start. It’s like this – you have lots to say, but just can’t pick up one thing to focus on because there are just so many of them, all waiting to get out. So what do you do in such a situation? Simple – just hit the keyboard and get on with the first thing that comes to your mind.

What comes to my mind right now is an incident that happened a few days ago. I was talking to a friend and she happened to say…”Maybe I should take a few tips from you on how not to be affected by disappointment. You seem almost unaffected by anything negative that happens to you.”, I was quite surprised by that statement, because however cool it sounds to be complimented like that, I know that its simply not true. So what is it really that makes people think that I am “unaffected”? On a broader level, what is it that I am doing different from others? Am I even doing something really different? Lots of questions…and no ready answers.

At the outset, let me make this clear – I am human (though many think of me as a non-terminating Terminator – a near-human machine :P) and disappointments affect me as much as they affect everyone (more so sometimes). What perhaps makes me different is that I manage to ensure that the disappointment does not last for long. And there is really no rocket science or superhuman endurance behind it. The secret is actually no secret at all. It all boils down to one simple question – how do you prefer to be? Gloomy all day with your face dropping to the floor, or buckled up to take life head-on, (preferably) with a smile on your face? For me, the choice is simple.

Now you might say that this sounds very good in theory, but not so easy to put in practice. When your mind is raging over that missed promotion or something hurtful that your boss/partner said, or when you just got dumped, being sanguine about it is the last thing that you are going to feel like doing. Well, I will give you that – its really not easy. But let me ask you this – if being cool isn’t easy, does beating  yourself up really help? Not one bit, I say.

People who know me will kind of expect me to start spouting advice at this point. No way folks…this ain’t one of those times. Perhaps I will come back some other time to share my tips with you, but for now, I will just leave you with this. Decide what you want to see becoming reality – the smiles and happiness of those who love you (including yourself) or the smirks of those who would love to see you fail and fall? This one decision will alone set you on the right track. Keep walking!! 🙂

P.S: It helps if you can develop the ability to keep a straight/smiling face when deep inside, you feel like bursting/crying/killing someone/whatever. Fake it till you make it.