Difficult Seasons

When was the last time you faced disappointment from a certain outcome that did not meet your expectations?  Hard times are inevitable.  It could be any event in your life, from a big set-back to a small mishap. Perhaps your work did not go as well as you anticipated. Life is not what you expected or hoped for. Maybe someone you care for did not reciprocate your feelings. Maybe your relationship did not work out the way you hope it would.

How did it feel? Did you feel like a certain sense of numbness and void inside of you? Were you despondent and dejected? Did it feel like it was the end of the world?

Disappointments are dissatisfactions that arise when your expectations are not met by outcomes.  Every day, people deal with disappointments. Depending on how big the disappointment is and how you choose to deal with it, the feeling of disappointment may dissipate after a short while or hang over your life for an extended period of time. If not handled properly, disappointments can lead to depression and eventually apathy.

Do not Let Disappointment Own You

It never stops. A bad report from the doctor. You ran out of money, and there’s no way to pay for something. Friends or family leave you or hurt you. Disappointment is a part of your everyday life, and it feels like you just can’t take another minute. But you do. And even though the bad news doesn’t stop, you can figure out a way to get by.

Pressure – Handle it

But how do you do it? Shouldn’t good friends, self-control and prayer be there to help you naturally? Nope. Some folks are naturally blessed with all the support and skills to cope. Most of us are not, and have to work at handling the pressures of a life that feels disappointing.

Keep close to good people.  Good people are supportive to those who support them and make them feel valued.  When need to share your burdens, be certain to remember to do your part, and to seek help from those willing to help you lift the burdens that require the strength of more than one heart.  Don’t forget to say “thank you” in a genuine manner … and mean it with a thankful heart.  Yes, even if it didn’t resolve your issues.  They cared enough to try.

And when you’re called on to help others with their problems, be there, be a good listener, and be positive.

Practice Makes Perfect

Put a smile on your face even though you don’t feel like it. Sure, you still feel hurt, discouraged and disappointed. Acting happy doesn’t change the facts. But, controlling your actions is a better way because you are now in control of your reaction to lousy circumstances.

The Better Way

Ultimately it’s up to you. Face disappointment on your own terms.

– Seek the strength of others in a thoughtful and considerate manner, and remember to say “Thank You” and do your part.

– Control your reaction to disappointment by simply owning your part of the disappointment with a positive response.

When disappointment follows you, follow basic, positive principles. You’ll soon find, there is a better way to get by.

Don’t forget the positives.  Contrary to what people may initially think, disappointments can be a positive phenomena.

Disappointment is the reflection of your passion toward something, be it a certain goal, dream, desire or outcome. Wherever there is a cause, there will be an effect – in this case, the passion is the cause and disappointment is the effect. If you don’t care about something, you wouldn’t be feeling disappointed, would you? The very presence of disappointment suggests that this is something you care about so much that you would feel bad over it. The higher your disappointment, the stronger your passion for this is.

There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.  True love is what drives you toward your goals, dreams and desires. True love will be what fuels you in life, bringing you to places you have never been before. This deep love is what makes life worth living.

Disappointment is always a better emotional state than apathy or neutrality where the individual feels indifferent toward anything. I would much rather be feeling a negative emotion any day than feeling absolutely nothing. The ability to feel is what sets us apart from non-living beings. To feel nothing is to be an android, a robot, a machine.

Disappointment signals an opportunity for progress and growth. If you are disappointed in an outcome, it means there is actually a certain error in your framework of thought which need to be resolved.

Management in all things in life is how we control variances.  If the room temperature is too hot, we cool it.  If your driving speed is too fast, we slow it … and if need be, we stop.  If you fall short, you reach toward growth.  If you are disappointed, it means you need to address that disappointment in a positive way. By correcting issues, you equip yourself with more knowledge or ability. This is a source of correcting your disappointment, and how you act toward your goals.

Think of disappointment as a troubleshooting tool which helps you iron out the kinks in life. Using the inputs of disappointment, adding in the knowledge from your previous experience, you can more accurately and effectively move toward your objectives. The more you deal with disappointment and learn from it, the closer you will get toward your goals and dreams.