3 Things You Can Do to Avoid Disappointment
Avoiding disappointment……
At one point or the other in the life of everyone on the face of the earth, they will face disappointments. There will be many times when we don’t get what we want or we’ll be let down by those we trust; these kinds of disappointments are an inevitable part of life. But then, there are also disappointments in our lives that we could avoid if we start out with the right attitude or actions.
Here are three things that can help to avoid unnecessary disappointments:
Ask and Clarify
Many times, disappointments arise from a failure to ask questions or ask the right questions. In the face of promises or in making requests, you need to do the due diligence of asking questions in understanding exactly what is being offered or what is possible.
Many disappointments and let-downs are not because people actually failed us but because our expectations were based on assumptions. When we clarify and get details about what we want, we get a clear picture of available options and possibilities. This way we can manage our expectations properly and avoid making assumptions or accepting unsubstantiated claims that will end up being frustrated.
It is important to get clarification because sometimes people may not be totally honest with us for a long list of reasons; sometimes they don’t want to let us down, sometimes they are being deceitful and some other times, they simply didn’t tell because we didn’t ask.
Listen
When we ask questions, we need to listen to exactly what is being said to make our asking meaningful. Sometimes we don’t need to ask questions, all we need to do is to be careful and wise listeners.
Sometimes, people are talking clearly, defining what is possible and what is not but we fail to listen and this ends in preventable disappointment and heartbreak. Sometimes, people are telling us subtly what they can and cannot do for us; if we don’t settle down to really listen, we miss opportunities to adjust ourselves and prevent disappointments.
Accept
Don’t set yourself up for heartbreak; accept the realities of every situation. Accept people for what they do and say, plan yourself around what you have been offered. While acceptance should not rob us of our capabilities to hope, having hope should not also make us live the life of a dreamer.
Accept the truth in any situation and your chances of being disappointment will lessen greatly; and when there is disappointment, you can chew it up like an adult because you know that is was most likely unavoidable.