Sometimes things happen in life that we can’t control, and even the most positive people can be knocked off balance.

You can find yourself happily plodding along, and then suddenly life throws you a curveball. Sometimes you’re able to deal with it, and other times you just feel utterly flawed.

Have you recently experienced some kind of disappointment?

Did you wake up and feel that completely sinking feeling? You’d managed to forget about it whilst you were asleep, and then as soon as you woke up, it hit you again like a sledgehammer.

Do you have a knot in your stomach, and that feeling of emptiness?

It can feel like there’s literally a dark rain cloud, hovering above your head following you everywhere you go throughout the day.

The feeling of disappointment can make you feel really really sad, and you’re able to hold back the tears for the most part.

Have you found yourself sighing at various points throughout the day? That heavy sigh where people around you have probably noticed, but you actually don’t care, and nor can you do anything about it because that’s just how you’re feeling.

Not only can you not help how you’re feeling, but also it’s ok to feel like this. You absolutely need to allow yourself time to feel sad, acknowledge why you’re feeling like that, and make no apologies for it.

What is important though, is how you decide to move forward after disappointment.

Just as you acknowledge that it’s ok to lean in to the feeling of sadness, you also need to recognise that life goes on, and that at some point you owe it to yourself to try and overcome this.

I recently took a photo of a quote I’d seen on social media which made me smile, and I reflected back on those times when I too have felt down. 

“It’s OK if you fall down and lose your spark. Just make sure that when you get back up, you rise as the whole damn fire” 

So how can you do this?

Everyone will have their own sense of when they’re ready to want to move forward, but below are a few suggestions for you to try. These might just help you to start to shake off some of that disillusioned feeling you’re experiencing.

Change Your State

Changing your physiology can have a direct impact on your mood.

Move around, go for a walk, do some exercise. You might not feel like doing this but honestly, sitting thinking, or lying in bed, is just going to make you feel more tired and down.

Getting up and doing will help to change your state of mind.

So ask yourself:  “Do I really want to stay like this, or would I like to feel happy again?”

Get a good night’s sleep

Easier said than done if you have things whizzing through your head, but lack of sleep will only exacerbate your current situation. So, adopting a good sleep routine will be so beneficial to try and help you feel better able to work through this tough time.

Taking a bath before bed is proven to then reduce the body’s core temperature before bed and promote sleepiness. 

Turn the lights down ahead of time, avoid that glass of wine (you know it will only disrupt your sleep and certainly won’t help your mood the next day), and avoid screens before bed.

Make Plans

Having plans with family, with friends, or a hobby means that you have a distraction and something else to look forward to or be interested in, which will allow you to forget about the disappointed feeling you’re having even for just a little while.

List the Positives

When we’re holding on to disappointment, it’s easy to forget about all the good things going on in our lives. Make a list of other areas in your life that bring you happiness and contentment, and try and put your focus into these. You can also list other things that are coming up in the short/medium and long term which will help you to create things to look forward to.

If you’re having any of these feelings above, then please do share how you feel with a someone you can talk to, and also know that whilst it’s painful right now, it won’t last forever.

I hope you’re able to find the momentum to go and change your state right now. Go for a walk, or just stand up and do something different right now to change your physiology.

I’m always contactable via My Website at beccaforshaw.co.uk, so please do get in touch. You can also access my free guide “5 Life Changing Habits for Success”