Author: Fallton Havenstonne

Setbacks can be big or small, but the most important thing is to be prepared for them. We never know when they’ll come, or how long they’ll set us back for, but if we’re not prepared for them, setbacks can take us a long time to recover from.

Setbacks can be financial, medical, or psychological. A financial setback is an unexpected expense, such as something that needs to be repaired or bought (i.e. an appliance, such as a refrigerator, or a computer, etc.). A medical setback can happen when we’re suddenly sick, and depending on what the illness or condition is, it can set us back for a few days or for months at a time. A psychological setback is when we feel defeated, or when we’ve given up on a goal.

In preparing for these three, they each have their own approach. The financial setback can be prepared for by having an emergency fund. A medical setback can include an emergency fund, but it can also include being proactive with our health (i.e. doctor visits, going to the dentist, etc.) and staying healthy. A psychological setback can include the approach of the former two, as well as having a positive mindset–one in which we seek to improve ourselves and to persevere in achieving our goals. This can include support from friends and family, as well as continually learning and working toward our goal.

But as easy as all of those preparatory approaches sound, they require a lot of discipline and individual tailoring. An emergency fund can look different for all of us depending on our financial situation. Being proactive and staying healthy depends on our physical state and environment. And a positive mindset will vary based on the experiences of our successes and failures.

But regardless of how different these preparatory approaches are for each of us, the important thing is to be prepared. For setbacks will happen to all of us, and it’s up to us in how we face them.

Taking a rest is one of those things where we can’t really assign a time frame to it. We can set an alarm to wake ourselves up, but if we’re still tired when it goes off, we might hit the snooze button or just sleep through the alarm.

One thing I’ve done to overcome tiredness is to wake up at a certain hour like clockwork. I’ll try to wake up before the alarm goes off, make it a habit to beat the alarm, so to speak. If the alarm goes off and I’m still tired, I’ll come up with a reason to get up. For example, I’ll think about how great the coffee will be if I just get up and make it, or I’ll think about something I need to do that day. It’s as if the best solution to overcoming tiredness when we wake up is to outsmart it, or at least, try to sleep it off.

Sometimes it can feel like we’re enduring rather than living life. It’s like we’re trying to make it to the end of the day, the week, the month, rather than having fun or just being in the moment. It’s as if our outlook is to look ahead, wait for time to pass, rather than enjoying the time we have.

Is it because we’re bored, or is it because we’re more focused on making it to the destination rather than embracing the journey? If it’s the latter, then it could be that we’re trying to improve our lot–be somewhere else. Where we are isn’t where we want to be. We’re just going through the motions, trying to make it from day to day until we make it to our destination.

But making it to our destination comes with a caveat. Will we focus on the next destination, or will we start enjoying the moment?