Ways to Cope With Disappointment
Learning to adjust to life’s ups and downs requires a variety of skills that many people master only as they mature.
Coping with daily disappointments requires a “bag of tools” and strategies that can be learned.
The old adage “nobody promised us that life is a bowl of cherries” can be seen a good starting point for the process of adapting to the challenges of life
A review of some of these coping skills is a helpful way to start.
• Avoid false assumptions such as “I will be very disappointed if things don’t turn out well for me each and every day” or “if I work hard enough and stay focused I can control outcomes and thus avoid all disappoint .”
Don’t assume all days will be good days or bad days. Life has its highs and lows.
Stay clear of adopting a victim’s frame of mind such as “The deck is stacked against me so things are always going to turn out bad for me.”
• Get enough sleep because coping and adjusting calls for the energy and clarity of thought that is more difficult when the mind is clouded by tiredness. Although the amount of sleep varies for many individuals, seven to eight hours is usually recommended.
• Strive for social connectedness. Chronic self-Isolation can lead to many adjustment problems, including a narrowed focus when facing difficulties.
Having friends and family to provide support, empathy and a cathartic sounding board can help with down days.
• Avoid self-absorption by providing assistance to someone else. Move away from your disappointment and reach out to others.
These actions can replace your feelings of dissatisfaction and result in positive thoughts about your own situation.
• Exercise can be a great way to vent negative feelings.
The chemical uplifts that result from physical activity are well documented by health care professionals.
• Try to find some humor in your disappointing day. Laughter is a great tension breaker and when one sees humor in a situation, feelings generally improve.
• Be patient. This too shall pass and better days will return.
Mark Twain wrote the following passage which may help.
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
