Handling Disappointment, Navigating Setbacks

Life is full of disappointments and setbacks. They're inevitable. Some of them are minor and some of them are very, very major. One day we may think we have good things coming to us and the next we find they are not coming at all. Some of us have been left wondering "What do I do know?" after all of our hard work on a project blows up in our faces. What do we do when the 'perfect' job you applied for goes to one of the other candidates? What happens when your college-bound doesn't get accepted into their dream college after high school? What happens when your most lucrative client drops off your services list? What happens when your dreamgirl/dreamguy breaks up with you for seemingly no reason?

 

 

Sometimes our hard work goes up in flames

Sometimes our hard work goes down the toilet. Whoosh!

Sucks when your heart gets broken

What happens next is largely up to you. Acknowledge the deep ache you feel inside is a sense of loss and disappointment. Drink lots of water to ease the pain from the lump in your throat. If you need to, cry your eyes out. Whatever you do, though, do not stay in the house of disappointment for long. Become like the "phoenix" and rise from the ashes even stronger. Don't let failure or disappointment pin you to that one spot; be indomitable! Don't neglect to pray about it, either.

Cry

Arise anew

Pray

A disappointment or setback is not the end of the world, although at the moment it may feel like it. Life WILL go on. Take charge of making a comeback after experiencing the setback. Undergoing a disappointment can be devastating, but you can rebuild.

Sometimes you can turn disappointment in your favor. It may help you think of ways to do something that you had never thought of before. It can help you make new friends. It can get you out of your comfort zone and out of your 'box'. Sometimes a disappointment or setback can push you to new limits and ever-increasing levels of profitability. You must be resilient in the face of setbacks, be motivated and work hard towards your goals.

I know all too well the feeling of disappointment and how it really takes the wind out of one's sails. I have recently experienced a setback in the form of a door closing to a financial opportunity I had been closing in on.

 It felt crushing at first, but here's how I handled it:

1. I found hope in several opportunities relating to the one I lost. (Hope is a mortal enemy of disappointment and despair).
2. I thought about all of the other irons I had in the fire in terms of profitability
3. I remembered I am resuming my MBA studies next month
4. I became increasingly diligent in performing my physical fitness regime.
5. I concentrated more on my family
6. I dwelt upon some of my favorite passages of scripture
7. I counted my blessings. (Thankfulness is also a bane to disappointment's existence).

Here are some blessings I counted:

1. I have a wonderful family; immediate and extended.
2. I have a nice house with plenty of room for my family (and the means to pay for it)
3. I get to take charge of my health by using Isagenix products
4. I have my college tuition paid for by serving in the military

5. I make a decent living
6. God is always there
7. I have a lot of people who care about me.
8. I have friends who are there for me.
9. I have a ton of opportunity and capability to succeed
10. My sons are happy and healthy
11. I get multiple chances when I mess up.

What are some things you do to overcome disappointment?

How many things are you thankful for?

The next time you experience disappointment, make a point of turning it from a negative event into a positive one. Look at the opportunity that disappointment provides. Disappointment is not comfortable or pleasant, but it can be overcome.

Thank you all for showing up on my website to read my blog. I hope you continue to read my blog articles and they bless you indeed!