Disappointment. Now What?

Dear Aspen reader,

When was the last time you faced serious disappointment? For me, it was last December.

I received some blood work regarding specific food sensitivities and was told that a diet change was necessary for my body to come to a better place of health. I wasn’t disappointed in the fact that my body showed sensitivities or even that my diet had to change for a time. I was disappointed most about the missed opportunities that I was sure to face because of what I, now, could not eat. I was more concerned with the difficulty that would ensue during social engagements due to my new dietary restrictions and worried as to whether or not it would keep me from opportunities to socialize with others. (Most of my social life revolves around coffee dates and potluck get-togethers - so it becomes tricky when you’re on a specialized diet.)

After I had wallowed in this place for a few weeks I quickly realized that this thinking was doing nothing to make me feel any better. I had to figure out how to pull myself up and move forward.

Let me offer a few ways for dealing with disappointment in a healthy way:

• Give yourself some time. Things might not seem nearly so bad tomorrow.

• Separate your emotions from the facts.

• Talk about the disappointment with someone you trust.

• Ask yourself if the level of disappointment truly fits the scenario.

• Think about the good that may be hidden under the soil of this disappointment.

• Figure out your next step for moving forward.

While this isn’t the exact prescription for dealing with disappointment, I’m sure there are a few ideas in the list that you can use to deal with disappointment in a healthy way next time it rears its head. Best wishes to you as you press on in the face of disappointment and reach for the joy that’s sure to be on the other side.

In health,

Alecia