Strategies For Coping With Disappointment That Will Keep You From Getting Stuck

Nothing seems to be working in my favor today

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In life, disappointment is inevitable. At some point, we will all deal with having our plans thwarted and our dreams crushed. Disappointment can be devastating, which is why it’s important to adopt constructive coping mechanisms. Here are ten strategies for coping with disappointment that will keep you from getting stuck.

Give yourself space to mourn

When you have your heart set on something, rejection can be extremely painful. Rather than forcing yourself to quickly get over it, give yourself a period of time to mourn. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to miss what you’ve never had.

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Recognize that what’s meant to be will be

While let-downs can be troubling and may cause you to seriously question your future, take comfort in know that what is meant to be will always be. It’s completely possible that in this present situation, the timing was not right. However, things may very well align perfectly in the future. Have faith. Delay is not denial.

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Remind yourself that something better will come along

Speaking of faith, it’s also helpful to remember that sometimes, the things that we desperately desire are not always what’s right for us. Sometimes missing out on what appears to be the perfect opportunity may actually be a blessing in disguise. In some cases, there may be more to the situation than meets the eye. Other times, it’s because there’s a much better opportunity waiting down the road.

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Plan your next course of action

While wallowing in your misery may feel good for a short time, getting up and dusting yourself off will feel even better. Now that you’ve received the news of your setback, what is your next course of action? Sitting down and devising an action plan will place you back in the driver’s seat and help you to feel like less of a victim.

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Try again

Once you have established a plan, get back out there and try again. Every setback is a learning experience and makes us better equipped to pursue our dreams. Try not to allow this let-down to spook you into giving up on your dream altogether. Nothing worth having comes easy.

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Don’t internalize

Rejection letters, job terminations, and failed relationships are just a few life events that can hit our egos the hardest while simultaneously taking our breath away. In these unfortunate circumstances, it can be easy to internalize the failure and begin to beat ourselves up as a result of what happened. While personal accountability is important, it’s also necessary to remember that hard times befall us all.

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Treat yourself

There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself to a little pick-me-up after receiving disappointing news. A little self-indulgence can help to lift your spirits. Of course, you’ll want to be responsible and refrain from indulging in something that is harmful or that you will come to regret later.

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Reflect

Hindsight is 20/20. Once you’re feeling up to it, try reflecting on the situation and how you may have contributed to the outcome. The purpose is not to blame yourself but to learn from the experience and inform future decisions. Although the let-down may have been devastating, it’s still possible to learn from the experience.

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Let it out

Disappointment hurts. It can be helpful to vent about your frustrations to a trusted loved one, by writing in a journal, even a professional counselor. Keeping things bottled in will only drag out the healing process. Once you let it out and deal with your feelings, you’ll be able to move forward in a constructive way.

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Release what happened

We all process things differently. Whatever your process, it’s important to release those negative feelings when all is said and done. Holding on to feelings of failure and rejection will weigh you down and hold you back from receiving the great things that await you in the future.

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