Disappointments come in a number of forms.
It could be of a loved one/spouse, a breakup from a relationship, work-related, feeling disappointed with life, or the emotion that comes with letting things go.
Handling disappoitments can be quite tricky. Sometimes, you get used to the seemingly little ones, and then you have a major setback that makes it seem as though they all piled up somewhere and at that moment, it feels like nothing ever worked.
Sometimes, it doesn’t hurt so much because you’re like “It’s part of life’
And other times, it really hurts. It hurts a lot.
Learning how to deal with it helps you handle the pain and hurt a lot better, it can also spur you towards your desire depending on much you learn from the experience. We’ll discuss more on this in a while.
You’re probably asking “So, what do I do to make this all go away?”
- Identify the source.
Why do I feel this way? Allow the news sink in. Now’s not the time to live in denial.
Deal with the feeling. Find a word(s) that defines how you feel. Are you terrified, cynical, disgruntled, do you feel short-changed? Acknowledge that you feel this way. It’s important that you honor your emotions.
- Identify how you deal with anxiety and stress.
Ask yourself how you deal with anxiety? Is it a time for you to take a vacation, go see a movie or would you rather have people over? If you haven’t figured it out prior to now, that’s also fine. Try a number of activities and take note of those you really enjoy. It could be biking, swimming, taking a long walk, binge-watching a series on Netflix, etc
The implication of this is that, when you figure out what helps to keep you calm during a stressful period, you’ll be able to control your emotions and redirect it to something you enjoy doing.
- Focus on the positives.
Take a look around you and take stock of all that you have. Refuse to entertain negative thoughts or ideas. Look out for ways to grow despite the disappointment. Turn that bitterness into determination. Use it to fuel your desired outcome.
- Protect your mental health.
Deliberately avoid people that always have something negative to say. Limit the people you share your hurt with. You don’t want someone reminding you about all the other opportunities that didn’t work out in a moment like this. Be conscious of the things you allow to get into your head and mind.
- Keep a journal.
You’re probably like Why? The mind works on auto-pilot sometimes, you have just one negative thought and you spiral all the way down. You can avoid a situation like this by keeping a journal. Start by writing how you feel, empty everything you have inside into your journal.
Then, write out all the positive things you know about yourself. When you have a negative thought or you get exposed to a negative opinion, you’ll be able to reference the journal to say – This is who I am.
- Go back to the master plan.
Learn from it and make decisions that move you forward to your desire. If the desire is point C and the goal/opportunity you missed out on was point B, Is there a point D that takes you to point C from where you are?
What you missed out on might feel like the end, but it’s not, you just expected a certain outcome. Figure out another route that takes you to your desire.
HOW TO OVERCOME DISAPPOINTMENT AND REFOCUS ON YOUR GOALS
- It is not a setback.
In the real sense, you’re not moving away from your goals. Everything you’ve done up until now has been to move closer and closer to the goal. You’ve grown, you learned something that nobody else is aware of.
Identify what you could have done better. Were your expectations overboard?
You’re walking out of this a better person. You’re much more stronger and knowledgeable.
Keep your focus on your desire. Allow your goals to continue driving you forward.
Breathe!
You should definitely check this out – Six (6) Scientific Benefits Of Meditation
