Nine Steps to Dismiss Disappointment

Disappointments are an entirely natural part of a fulfilling life. When your hope or expectation of something is not met, you feel let down. However, if you are shooting for the stars, you shouldn’t dismiss disappointment too readily. It gives you a renewed focus on your path. There is nothing like a short, sharp shock to make you think.

As long as it is short and sharp….

There are, however, many darker sides to disappointment. If allowed to linger and fester, it can become something far more dangerous. You have to dismiss disappointment in the right way and at the right time. Depression is something entirely different. It is tough to climb out if you allow disappointments to build into a harmful downward spiral.

Therefore, I would like to share a few ideas of how to dismiss disappointment as swiftly as possible:

Accept then dismiss disappointment

Accept it as part of your journey. It is a cliché, but it is vital to remember when the down times come. Get over it quickly, and you will always move on to better things.

Feel the feeling. Never deny it. Take some time to feel disappointed. Don’t immediately reach for the chocolate or go for a run to make yourself feel better. The disappointment will still be there when you have finished. It will pass quicker if you take a while to think about it (but not wallow in it).

Don’t feel sorry for yourself. It is far too easy to picture yourself as the victim of the piece. Poor you, this is terrible; how could this have happened to you? If you see disappointments as normal, you will never feel like you are “suffering.”

Put it in perspective. What may seem like the end of the world to you may be insignificant for someone else. How much of a big deal is it anyway? Yes, you may not be feeling great about life today, but in the grand scheme of things, does it make that much of a difference to your final destination?

Don’t let it all pile up. This is a big one. Minor disappointments can conspire together to ruin your day if you let them get to you. Missed the train? Late for a meeting? Criticised by a colleague? Spilt some coffee? Suddenly dark clouds start to gather, but all these trivial things shouldn’t spoil your mood.

Disappointment doubts

Don’t doubt yourself. It is hard not to take disappointment personally. Sometimes, just accepting it and not even reacting is the best option. There is nothing worse than bouncing from knee-jerk reaction to knee-jerk reaction after every setback. Don’t doubt yourself; stay the path and ride out the bumps.

Be grateful for what you have. Disappointments for one person might be an unbridled joy for another. Look around you and realise that many others would love to be in your place. Practising gratefulness is a crucial strategy for a fulfilling life.

Consider adjusting your outlook. Sometimes, your understanding of how things “should be” can suck the joy from your life. Make sure that your hopes and expectations are a “stretch” target, but not to the point that the elastic breaks every time. That is just soul-destroying.

Get back on your path. If you have the right coping strategies, you’ll be surprised how quickly you can get back on the “right” track, although, as I have mentioned, the disappointments are not a deviation from the path. They are part of the path.

Sometimes, getting over a disappointment can feel as good as celebrating a victory….

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This blog is shared with Job Seeker Duetists. 

Written by former recruitment ghostwriter Paul Drury (not AI).