Dealing with Disappointment

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Published by Rachelle Disbennett-Lee
Saturday, August 10, 2002
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Life is full of disappointments, anywhere from the grocery store being out of our favorite ice cream to not getting the dream job we wanted. I once heard a speaker say no one has ever died of disappointment. This is probably true, but it feels like a little bit of us withers when we suffer a disappointment.

I experienced a big disappointment when a national magazine interviewed me for an article. The article appeared in the magazine without any mention of me. I had told family and friends about the article and excitedly waited for the issue to appear on the magazine stands. I made a special trip to the store to pick up the magazine and excitedly flipped through until I found the article. There it was with half a dozen people quoted and not one quote from me. I read the article three times to make sure I had not missed it. Then I decided that maybe I had the wrong article and read the entire magazine. Disappointedly, there was no mention of me anywhere in the magazine. I had been so excited and when I found that I was left out, I cried and was truly disappointed. I must admit I even got a little angry and briefly thought about calling the author and demanding to know what happened. Then I went to bed and fell asleep.

And the next day the sun rose and life went on. I did not die of disappointment. In fact, I felt much better after getting some rest. I slowly began to realize that although that had been an exciting opportunity, there would be others that would come along. Nothing lasts forever not even disappointment. I never found out why I was not mentioned, but the magazine has, since, called and interviewed me for another article. Everything works out. It always does.

Coaching

Nothing hurts like disappointment. It feels like we have been let down in a major way. What I learned about disappointment from my experience is that it does pass and something good will follow. I also learned that although no one dies of disappointment, it sure feels like a little part of us withers some and it is important to acknowledge the disappointment and give ourselves some time to recover. It is okay to feel sad, depressed, let down, and even angry. It is not okay to stay there. Give yourself some time and then move on. Remember, after every disappointment, the sun will rise and life will go on.

How do you recover from a disappointment?

Daily Success Formula

Being let down = Disappointment

Quotes

"Anytime you suffer a setback or disappointment, put your head down and plow ahead." Les Brown

"Show business is made up of disappointments, and it's through life's disappointments that you grow." Minnie Pearl

"We tend not to choose the unknown, which might be a shock or a disappointment or simply a little difficult to cope with. An yet it is the unknown with all its disappointments and surprises that is the most enriching." Anne Morrow Lindbergh