5 Ways To Deal With Disappointment And Avoid Feeling Crushed

Getting discouraged is an inevitable part of life, but with the right approach, you can learn to face this emotion in stride.

Here are 5 ways to deal with disappointment in your everyday life that will help you avoid feeling crushed by your setbacks.

Candid confession – I’ve been facing some setbacks these days. Things had been going pretty great for me, and I thought I’d get to ride the upward curve for a longer time.

Does it suck that I’m going through a sticky patch? Yes. But am I losing any sleep over it? Absolutely not.

The past me would have lost her cool over this.

How dare life not go according to my plan? How on earth am I going to get out of this? Can I turn into a bear and slip into hibernation, just so I never have to face my failures again?

Yep, that pretty much sums up the thought process of my past self in face of a disappointing situation.

But now, I’ve become relatively calmer whenever things are not working out in my favor. It’s a relief to be able to get discouraged and not feel like it’s the end of the world.

We know that getting discouraged is a part of life, but there’s no denying the truth that dwelling on this emotion can stop us from going after our dreams.

Having an action plan for such situations can save you from staying stuck on your disappointments, which is what we’ll be looking at in just a moment.

Before reading further, pin this post for safekeeping.

In this post, I’ll be sharing 5 ways to deal with disappointment.

I use these tips whenever I’m feeling low in the face of discouragement, and I think it could be just as effective in your coping process.

Read on to unpack the process of overcoming disappointment.

How To Deal With Disappointment – 5 Ways To Avoid Feeling Crushed

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings

Disappointment can be an uncomfortable feeling to tackle with. But you might be making it even more dreary by trying to bury your head in the sand.

I used to think that being discouraged is a sign of weakness. Whenever life let me down, I’d try to stand tall like a tree. I thought doing anything else meant I was a failure.

Um, that logic was absolutely wrong and way too harsh.

Please realize right now that it’s normal to get disappointed in life. You are not supposed to run from this emotion or disregard its presence; you’ll end up making things worse.

So, sit down with your discouragement and let it reach its boiling point. What’s the worse that’ll happen? You’ll cry, vent in frustration, or sulk for sometime?

Good, at least you won’t bottle up your discouragement, which can hinder your personal development in the future.

Know that it’s okay to be unhappy and that when you allow yourself to get disappointed, the only way to go from there is up.

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2. Remember That Your Situations Don’t Define You

In the face of setbacks, it’s normal to turn your emotions inward and blame yourself.

You might find yourself battling self-doubt, insecurity, and the feeling of not being good enough. Consider these to be the symptoms of feeling disappointed, if you may.

But you have to keep in mind that your situations do not define you.

Some things are out of your control and some are not meant to be.

While these are two overwhelming facts, they can also be sobering if you accept them with an open heart.

We often latch on to our situations as if they’re the very part of our souls, while in reality, they are external circumstances that we can only try to work on to the best of our abilities.

Detaching yourself from your situations, even momentarily, can help a lot.

Remind yourself to not be a judge of your circumstances, and instead, just let them (and yourself) be.

Self-acceptance is the key to finding your way out of a discouraging life situation. Be kind to yourself, always. Because if you’re not, then who else will do it for you?

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3. Talk It Out With Someone

A good conversation can act as a soothing balm during distressing situations.

Whenever I feel let down by my own circumstances, I pick up the phone and call a friend to get some sound advice.

Talking it out with someone is one of the most effective ways to deal with disappointment.

You might be too close to your situation to approach it with an open and healing mind. If you can’t remind yourself to take things easy, it’s better to bring a friend in and let them do it for you.

Getting someone else’s perspective can offer you comfort and bring positive thoughts.

Reach out to a friend who you consider safe – someone who lifts you up, doesn’t judge, and has always been there to support you.

Express your emotions, be open to receiving advice, and let everything out without any guilt.

While it’s good to be emotionally independent, know that humans are also meant to serve each other.

Let your friends help you during your moments of distress. When the time comes, you’d do the same for them.

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4. Find Lessons Out Of Your Disappointments

Humans are fixated on the idea of fixing everything in their life. And while that can be a powerful move in some instances, it can often lead to disappointment.

As I said already, life sometimes has a mind of its own and there’s nothing we can do about that.

However, your perspective is in your command, which is great because you can face even the most major disappointments with the help of the right mindset.

I’ve found that when a situation is completely out of your hand, turning into a student can flip your disappointment upside down.

Don’t try to be the ‘fixer’. Instead, tap into your student mode and find lessons out of your disappointments.

Ask yourself why you feel so disappointed even knowing there’s nothing you can do about it. What is the present scenario trying to tell you?

Often, my lessons look something like these:

• Some things are out of my control.
• It’s okay to feel discouraged as long as I don’t let it define me.
• Good things take time.
• We don’t always get what we want.
• I am not the only one dealing with this. Disappointments are a part of being human.

See what I mean? Being disappointed can suck, but it can also remind you of some valuable life lessons.

Pick your own lessons out of your disappointments, and pen them down to really drive home their points.

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5. Get Moving

I won’t be a cliche by asking you to move on. Disappointments, whether big or small, can be hard to let go of, which is completely understandable.

We put so much effort into making things work, and when they don’t, it’s unfair to ask yourself to ‘get over it’.

So, if you’re not ready to stop thinking about whatever’s causing you disappointment, that’s okay. When the time is right, you will find your way out.

But for now, do this one thing to make sure your disappointments don’t fester – Get yourself moving by putting your energy into other things.

It can be something as simple as a 30-minute workout or starting a new personal project – like writing a book, creating a vision board, or launching a blog.

You might have faced setbacks in life, but that doesn’t mean the show has to stop. So, get yourself to start that new chapter by doing something that makes you feel like you’re moving.

It’s a simple idea that can be of tremendous help to shift your focus from sadness, hurt, or anger.

Eventually, it’ll also be what helps you heal your disappointment and free yourself from it.

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Take Your Disappointment In Stride

Feeling discouraged is not a sign of weakness. If anything, it is a sign that you are trying.

Disappointments come to those who are always working on their personal growth.

If we were to stay still and not put in any effort to cause change, perhaps we would dodge circumstances that have the power to disappoint us.

But then what would be the point of such a hollow victory? Wouldn’t you rather try and fail, and then try again, instead of not doing anything at all?

Always remember that success comes to those who take their disappointment in stride.

Be okay with feeling this emotion, acknowledge that it sucks, and use the 5 ways mentioned in this post to deal with disappointment. They’ll help you put your restlessness to bed.

These were the 5 ways to deal with disappointment. Got any more you’d like to add? Share by dropping a comment down below. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you.