What happens when we get what we want, and it’s not all it’s cracked up to be?
What happens when you get the dream job, when you buy the dream house, and…it doesn’t quite feel the way you imagined?
Disappointment is a tough emotion to navigate. Often, it’s something that shows how when we have worked hard, put in effort and time, only to be let down.
It also has a surprise factor, when it shows up in unexpected places.
You finally get off the plane at your dream destination, and you feel.. tired? Blah? Nothing like the joyful excitement from anticipatory daydreams. The feelings can be so overwhelming, it often takes us away from being present in the moment, in the experience of actually being in our dream destination.
That’s a double whammy – we lose both our vision of what the experience will be like, and disappointment permeates our present reality. That’s one of the reasons it is crucial to learn skills to navigate disappointment.
So, what do we do when we experience disappointment? Especially when it’s something we thought we wanted, disappointment can sting.
It can be helpful to remember a few key points:
- Life is not about experiencing only positive feelings. Each feeling, including the ones that don’t feel good, come to convey a message.
- Disappointment shows us that we cared, and that it mattered to us.
- All feelings, both good and bad, pass. No matter how rough or heavy it feels at the time, it won’t stay forever. Give yourself a time frame to feel the disappointment, and any other feelings that might come up.
READY FOR A CHANGE?
If any piece of this resonates with you, and you are ready to become more intentional about how you manage disappointment, reach out to me at naami@centericc.com
