The actions and reactions of those around us can often surprise. Expectation can fall far short of realisation. In an instant what we thought we knew can be disproven. Disappointment is high on the list of certainties we would prefer did not exist. But it sits there. Waiting.
What we want and what we need from others may not be what we get. There can be an unpredictable shortfall in delivery. We can be left both surprised and hurt.
While we are unable to control the disappointment generated by others there is much to learn from the feelings that result when we fall short of our own standards.
While it’s important that we learn from our mistakes, the first step is acknowledgement. Accepting our own error gives us an emotional base…a starting point for repair and restoration.
It’s only by recognising our emotion that we can move forward and process it. Failure to do so is to run the risk of ruining any potential for improvement.
Disappointment should lead us to a point where we can reframe our thinking. It’s very much a matter of perspective. How we see ourselves and where we see ourselves is the starting point from which relationships are built and developed.
Communication is key. It all comes back to the person we are and whether we are content to stay where we are. We understand that better by talking…first with ourselves and then with others.
The best advice is often locked away inside of ourselves. We know answers and we know truth.
The bits that are foreign to us or the bits that make us struggle are the bits we can learn.
But we have to give ourselves the chance.
Gary Bentley Counselling 