Colleges are releasing decisions, and students feel the angst as each new school announces its notification date. This afternoon, The University of Georgia will open up its system, and students across the nation, especially in Georgia, will hope to see the word, "CONGRATULATIONS!"
Williams Educational Consultants has received numerous calls and texts inquiring about what to do if the words are more along the lines of "Thank you for your application but at this time..."
My go-to answer to all of life's obstacles, including rejection, usually includes empathy, listening, and a bit of advice from Charles R. Swindoll:
"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.
It will make or break a company... a church... a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play the one string we have, and that is our attitude...
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.
And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes"
Earlier this week, I wrote a blog about pivoting when hearing or seeing what we do not care to hear. Today, I write about reactions and attitudes. If you want to be defined by a college's decision, that is your choice, but if you're going to define your future yourself, then give yourself some grace without losing sight of your dreams. Acknowledge that you made the decision to try and that you put in your best effort. Appreciate the fact that you now have an opportunity to move forward with other options. Empower your thoughts by thinking about good things and exciting possibilities.
Your mind has enormous power. Watching others react to both positive and negative stimuli can be very complicated. However, I have found that successful people can produce better outcomes because they have a positive mindset. They do not seem to be distracted by negativity or rejection. Instead, I have seen some of the best, most deserving students ignore the words, "unable to accept you at this time," and focus on searching for solutions, taking action, and discovering how to improvise or pivot.
So it is with Charles R. Swindoll's words that I leave you with as I firmly believe that your reaction to any decision, good or bad, is more important than the event. So trust in the process, believe in yourself, keep sight of your goals and enjoy your family and friends. Remember, only you can shape your happiness.
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