Closing doors, opening windows.

Well, sometimes you can have a letdown. You can't let it get you down, though.

The position of court reporting manager looked like a perfect fit based on the job description. The interview went well. My skill set and curriculum vitae, I would say, stacked up to the competition. But the job went elsewhere.

Now, being the competitive soul I am, I am very disappointed. I still believe in myself. I just can't linger over it. Negative energy is detrimental. The decision is made and I can't change it. I can only be a professional and move on. I've written a thank-you note to the judge I called at the last minute to thank him for at least giving his opinion of me. I've sent a note of congratulations to the person who got the job. I've had a good wallow in self-pity. And now it's time to get back on the horse and realize that the bigger picture may be that there's something better out there for me.

Just because you think you're right for the job, you may not be. Take a moment to step back and reflect on what you want for your career. Look at the big picture. Maybe there's something inherently off about the fit for the position. Maybe there's something looming right around the corner. Whatever it is, jump back up and dust yourself off. This is your life. You can spend it in negative ways or positive ways.

I choose positive.