About Disappointment

Disappointment. Dismay. Despondency. Displeasure. Whatever you call it, the meaning is similar. All of these things result from one’s expectations or hopes not being fulfilled. All of these things leave the victim (for lack of a better word) feeling sad, angry, anxious, and discontent. 

Here are my thoughts on disappointment:  It’s inevitable.

No big secret, right?  As long as there are human relationships, though, there will be disappointment.  I’ve tried every way I know how to avoid disappointment, but it just keeps happening.  Since disappointment stems from expectations, the only way to limit your disappointments is to adjust your expectations. It would be wonderful if we lived in a perfect world.  But, we don’t.   So…

Don’t expect to win every game.

Don’t expect the good guy to always come out on top.

Don’t expect the most qualified applicant to get the job.

Don’t expect people to keep the promises they make.

Don’t expect every relationship to last forever.

Don’t expect people to treat you the way that you treat them.

I could go on and on with this list, but I think you get my drift.

Disappointments are going to happen.  But, if you are properly prepared, you can deal with the disappointments much better.   I’ve learned that the trick is not trying to avoid disappointments (because you obviously can’t), but rather learning how to recover from disappointments in a healthy way.  You can’t control being disappointed, but you can control how you react to disappointment.  Work to develop a plan to help you bounce back from disappointment in a healthy way that will leave you feeling better and not bitter.  When I figure that plan out, I’ll share the secret. You do the same.  If you’ve already figured out the secret, drop some knowledge in the comments for us!  I’d love to hear from you.