We all get frustrated. You’re in a hurry and there is an accident on Hwy 36. You’re trying to get to work, but your son just spilled his milk on your pants. Does that sound familiar? We all face these kinds of issues. But do you just give up?Whether or not you give up depends on the stakes and how you look at them. If you have a must-win outlook you set yourself up with demands that are immoblizing. So you stop working toward the thing you want the most. It’s easier to walk away from the goal than to deal with the frustrations.

It takes work, but you can deal with frustations. Here are some tips to follow to help you deal with defeats and frustrations.

• Make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of your goal or task. Then decide to continue or not.
• Don’t globalize the defeat or frustration. Taking defeat too seriously can result in helplessness, not only about the situation, but about life in general.
• Know your tendencies and accept that it’s human nature to see things in an all-or-nothing way.
• See a frustration as a challenge, as a way to grow, not as something to defeat you.
• And remember that frustrations are usually temporary and short-lived.

Afterall, middle school does not last forever.