Disappointment is tough. Whether someone let you down, you let someone down (including yourself) or something just didn’t pan out the way you’d hoped, the emotions around disappointment are strong. But, as a small business owner, you have to be able to feel your feelings, address those emotions, push forward and persevere. Here are four steps that can help:

1. Feel. Process. Accept.

Disappointment stinks and it’s OK to feel bad. Buy yourself a fancy coffee and sit in the sun at a park or have a glass of wine and hide on your couch to process those emotions. While you don’t have time to wallow in your emotions, not taking the time to grieve what might – or should – will leave you with a pit of resentment over the situation. Feel. Process. Accept.

2. Stop Thinking about What Might Have Been

Disappointment often comes on the heels of hope… which makes the letdown even worse. Whether you were dreaming about that corner office or thinking about hitting that big 2020 business goal, realizing that the things you hoped for aren’t coming your way – at least not right now – can be a tough pill to swallow. We know it’s hard, but stop wondering what might have been and turn off the self-pity.

3. Address the Situation

Sometimes, when you’re disappointed, it leads to an awkward situation. It might just mean going back to your regular desk knowing you didn’t land that promotion, but there are times when it means moving on, letting someone go or having an uncomfortable conversation about what has to be different next time. It’s hard to get through those next steps, but take a deep breath, hold your head high and make it happen. The longer you wait, the more awkward it becomes.

4. Find Perspective and Reset

Once you’ve processed your emotions and ripped the band-aid off whatever step came next, it’s time to take a step back and find perspective. Access your current situation, talk to your mentor, have lunch with a friend… While disappointment is a sharp pain at first, it often fades as reality sets in. Maybe you really weren’t exactly right for that promotion? What can you work on for next time? How can you congratulate whoever did get it? What can you learn from that person?

If you’re ready to up your skills through additional training or you could use help putting your business on a new track, your local Growth Coach can help. Learn about our programs online at https://www.thegrowthcoach.com/what-we-do.