Everyone at some point in his or her lives has dealt with disappointment. Whether it’s not getting a position you had your heart set on, someone let you down, or things simply didn’t go your way, disappointment is a hard emotion to process. It can lead to other negative feelings and it can deter you from pursuing other avenues that may very well end in success. Here are some helpful tips on how to deal with disappointment.
1) No matter what happened, know and remember that it wasn’t your fault.
When the end result is disappointment, chances are there were many outside factors. You need to remind yourself that you tried your hardest and no matter what it might have been for, it is absolutely not your fault. People are always letting other people down and because of this, the most important thing at the end of the day is that you acknowledge you didn’t let yourself down. Life is full of surprises–the best kinds and the worst kinds, so keep believing in yourself. Take this time to write down and think about what you love about yourself. Find ways to identify your strengths, and just like you would a muscle, work out what you are good at. Test yourself and keep the faith. At the end of the day, you are you own biggest fan and your greatest ally.
2) Leave yourself open to other opportunities.
Maybe something with friends didn’t work out and it left you questioning the friendship. Maybe it was a job position that you thought for certain you would get and it didn’t end in your favor. Whatever the case is, don’t let the disappointment hold you back. Do not let yourself get hung up on the negatives, and instead turn your disappointment into more avenues of success. In the future, keep an open mind to other opportunities you can pursue. Whether it be other people to associate with or simply another job, disppointment can open up your life to new things. Embrace these things and welcome them into your life whatever they may be!
3) Lean on others.
In times of disappointment, it’s easy to be down. When you feel let down and betrayed it’s difficult to remember feelings of confidence and happiness before the disappointment happened. You may be tempted to be alone and keep your feelings to yourself, but it is important to open up to others. Talking to somebody who knows you and who you trust is an important step in overcoming the aftermath of disappointment. Disappointment is a powerful emotion and it can often render you incapable of other things for a while. Never let your sadness overwhelm you for long; the important people in your life can pull you out the rut you may find yourself in. Listen to what other people have to say and take their words to heart. Let their encouragment build you up again, and then try, try again.
4) Be happy for those around you—no matter what.
Let’s say you are the only person in a group of your friends that got unlucky. Maybe you’re just the only one who seems to be having a hard time with things lately, but everyone else around seems to be having a much easier time. It will be very hard to separate your negative feelings from their positive ones. However, this is crucial to getting over your disappointment and overall anger or sadness. When you are able to take the focus off yourself, you are able to celebrate the joys of the people around you. Everyone has those days and those times, and you will have your good moments. Embrace the bad moments and support the people around you in all of their endeavors, even if you did not receive the same opportunity. The best kinds of people are the people who can put themselves and their problems aside for the sake of supporting other people. Celebrate and mourn with those around you and lose yourself in the act of supporting other human beings.
5) Understand that disappointment is a fact of life.
Things happen—whether they be good or bad. Life is a funny, mercurial thing, and it will always surprise you. Disappointment is simply a fact of life. It is not something you, the next person, or I can change. When there is a debauched ending to a situation, it can feel as if the world is out to get you. The fact is, you won’t ever feel disappointment once. It will contiune to happen, but remember that everything happens for a reason and the sun will always come out eventually. Life is what you make it. Throw yourself into things that you enjoy and find new things to love at the same time.