How do you deal with disappointment?

[ErinGudge]

I've been in a scrap contest for the past 5 weeks, and I got eliminated today. I take these things way too hard, i know I do. I feel like my work is crap and I should just stop trying. Every contest I enter is the same way. So, maybe I'm just not good enough or something.

So, how do you deal with disappointment? I wallow in self pity, obviously.

[miriamkaye]

Erin, what an achievement to being part of the contest for 5 weeks!!!  I probably wouldn't last 1 week.

I think everyone feels some form of disappointment but I try to look at each disappointment as a stepping stone to something better, just because it hasn't worked this time doesn't mean it won't the next time round 

Don't give up girl, be true to yourself and stick with it 

{hugs}

[Patrice]

Oh, Erin, your work is such a reflection of who you are - and you are beautiful!!!!!

I agree with Miriam:  stay true to yourself!

[Babs]

Hang in there, Erin.  Keep putting yourself out there and staying true to your own style.

I've been trying hard to submit a lot lately, and it's tough not to get bummed when you don't get picked.  My trick. . .

this is going to sound lame. . .

is to re-focus myself on the reasons I scrap.  It keeps me going.

[ErinGudge]

Thanks guys! You are all too sweet! I know that I don't scrapbook for the contests, but they are a good motivator. I usually bounce back pretty fast. I was just really invested in this one, I think it's because some of the layouts dealt with pretty personal stuff for me. I did have a lot of fun, and I do love the site (lots of good sales!!! lol), so I guess that's another good thing that came from it!

So, I'm pulling myself up by my bootstraps now!

[smokindiva]

It's hard staying motivated when you put so much of yourself and your time into something.  Trust me, I understand your frustration, but it doesn't stop me.  I see others layouts and I just feel like I can't compete.  In reality, I cant compete and that okay.  I have my own wacky, no straight line style and some people dig it, especially my family.  At the end of the day, isn't that what truly important!  Hang in there chica and keep your head up.

Yvonne

[jen]

erin, i agree with what all of these ladies have said. it is soo easy to feel like giving up...but why are we doing this in the first place...really? it isn't to please everyone else, it is to preserve memories and have a creative outlet in doing so. and places like CD are fun to chat and share! so don't give up, just move on and keep on scrappin girlie!!!

[casey boyd]

I think Barb couldn't have said it better.  Get refocused and start enjoying it again. I absolutely love doing the challenges and such, it gives me inspriation and I am competitive by nature, so I don't lose well either.  I pout about and wonder why mine wasn't picked and by which I mean pick myself and my layout apart, then I get an even worse attitude and grab a glass of wine, shake it off, show my kids the layout of which I get big smiles and all the reward I need and then all is well again.  It's about them.

Your layouts are wonderful, find another challenge for inspiration and GO FOR IT! keep trying.

[tricia]

I never submitted anything because I'm just too much of a perfectionist and I always thought maybe the next layout would be good enough to submit somewhere.  So.... in my book you should be proud of yourself for just getting involved and scrapping your heart out!  And 5 weeks in the contest -- that's great!!! 

[lburanas]

i'm gonna sound like the one loser here, but...

i just don't enter things lol. i mean... lemme rephrase that. i don't enter BIG things, because i don't want to NOT win. haha. i'm probably not the best person to get this advice from.

those elimination type contests are the worst too. i did last scrapper standing last yr (the effer dare contest) and made it all the way to the very last round... obvs didn't win. each round had me so stressed. and in the end, i felt like i put in so much effort. so i don't enter contests or submit anymore. ya ya, i'm a big quitter. so what?

i pretty much decided that if it wasn't fun, i wasn't going to do it. if it's going to give me stress, i don't do it. (referring to scrapping here, not life in generaL). if you don't try, you'll never know if you might win. but if you don't try, you'll also never lose lolololol.


i suck huh? tricia will ban me now.