6 WAYS TO DEAL WITH DISAPOINTMENT


How do you feel when the football team you support loses a match? Disappointed right? As we go through life, we tend to pass through situations, conditions and circumstances that leave us feeling disappointed.

Actually, no person gets everything they wanted from life, even if they seem to be living a great life. Every person actually passes through disappointment at some point in life. Disappointment can make you feel depressed, mad, and angry or even mean toward yourself or others. This is due to high expectations that were not met, unfulfilled promises, or unmet needs.

The question is, how do you handle disappointment? When you feel disappointed, how do you handle those doubts? How do you handle feeling discouraged? And how do you handle your emotions?

Let’s go through these six steps on how to deal with disappointment.

1) MANAGE YOUR EMOTIONS

Whenever you feel disappointed, try to express your feelings at that moment, but also try to keep your head cool, and don’t take any decision at that particular point in time.

2) QUESTION YOUR INITIAL EXPECTATIONS

Visualise and analyse the circumstances and conditions that may have led to the disappointment and check how flexible or realistic your original expectations were. Then ask yourself some critical questions such as:
-What were my expectations about this situation?
-What did I actually expect from myself?
-What were my expectations from other people?
-Was my expectation really realistic or was it just a fantasy?
-Was my plan toward achieving these expectations flexible?
-Was I expecting too much, when I only gave in too little?
-What did I do wrong?
-What lessons have I learnt?

3) FACE THE REALITY OF THE OUTCOME

Instead of being angry, complaining, nagging, worrying, feeling depressed, or even crying, meditate on ways to improve yourself and the outcome. Take analysis of what may have gone wrong and begin to map out plans to improve on your weaknesses. Come out of the illusion surrounding the feeling of being disappointed. Encourage yourself to try again using another strategy that would result in a better outcome.

4) TAKE PERSONAL INVENTORY

After you may have understood the circumstances that led to your disappointment, it is now time to take personal inventory by analysing your strengths and capabilities. Ask yourself some tangible questions. Avoid making presumptions when asking and answering these questions. Let your answers be based on facts. Use critical thinking processes and not just your personal opinions.

The following questions would be of help.

-What are my strengths and how can I employ them to make this situation better?
-What skills do I have that can help me make this situation better?
-What facts do I need to work with to make improvements?
-What knowledge do I have that would help make this better?
-What is the real problem that I must solve?
-What are the tools I have that I can use?
-In what ways can others support me?
-What is the problem that I must solve?
-What are the facts I need to work with?

5) STOP DEMANDING PERFECTION FROM YOURSELF

Humans are not created as perfect beings and that’s why from cradle till old age, we keep learning how to make things better for ourselves. No matter how much of a perfectionist you try to be, you would still make mistakes because to err is human. Focus your attention on making progress rather than being perfect. Always strive for improvement, development, consistency and success, rather than perfection.

6) KEEP TRYING AND DON'T GIVE UP

The last action you need to take is to try again. But this time, be sure of getting a better result than before because you have critically analysed the circumstances surrounding your previous disappointment. Don’t seat back and fold your hands, but stand tall and give it another shot. Even if you don’t get the desired result yet, keep trying and never give up. Also, don’t forget to pray to God for more improved outcomes.

Article Written By, Grace Elioku


source:
https://mfmthedrive./2018/05/03/how-to-deal-with-disappointment/

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