the mind.

After facing a series of disappointments over the past couple of weeks, I've finally reflected on how much I've grown as an individual. If I had been placed in my current situation a year ago, I would've been more than eager to give up and allow negative thoughts to reside within me.

Who I am now, though, will not allow such things to happen - at least not for an extended period of time.

As a human, negative thoughts do enter my space, and instead of dismissing them, I've been learning how to observe my thoughts as if I were studying a piece of art.

I break down the thought one by one: 
-Where did that thought come from?
-Why did I think that way?
-Where did that feeling come from?
-How can I address this feeling?

In doing so, I allow myself to understand that negative thoughts are going to happen, but it is up to me to allow it to take space within me. Once I've addressed the points of above, I'm able to get rid of the thought altogether, as opposed to merely dismissing it.

Disappointments are life's way of telling you that you're not going to get what you want, but something better is on its way and it's up to you to mourn over your disappointments, or keep looking ahead at what's coming.

But, it is also important to remember that what you want may not be what you need; you might need to look in another direction for now.