Shifting from Disappointment

This year has been a difficult one for many. With the economy contracting, everyone is touched by disappointment in some way…whether it is the loss of a home, loss of a job, loss of freedom, loss of security, loss of peace of mind, loss of a dream or loss of someone you loved who could not cope.

We each go into our lives having such high hopes for love, abundance and joy, and many times we can indeed experience those for long periods of time. But what’s really difficult for most is to reach a certain level of success and then see it slip away. That’s what has been so debilitating for many this past year. And whether it has been because of our own poor choices of mortgaging our future on credits cards and houses that we cannot truly afford, or whether we have done everything right and watched our 401K disappear – it is heart wrenching to deal with the sense of loss.

But wallowing in the disappointment only creates a negative energy vortex that continues the downward spiral. Yes, if you must, allow yourself a short period of time to grieve for what was. This is actually a good step in processing the emotions. But do not stay there and do not allow this to fester into anger, resentment, envy or bitterness.

You must begin shifting away from disappointment so you can begin co-creating either a recovery to better times or a new vision of what your life can be. Let go of what was. Whatever is ahead will be different—and maybe even better. Accepting that change is inevitable is the first step to creating that shift, rather than resenting change or holding to the past.  

Now what positive goal can you focus upon? What vision can you create that will help to readjust your attitude and your vibration? What vibration can you begin emitting that will be a match for where you want to head?

Chose a specific emotion or thought to consciously vibrate. Is it love? Is it joy? Is it fun? Is it beauty? Is it gratitude? Is it the enrichment of nature? Is it a closer connection to Source? When you are in disappointment, you want to keep it simple. Give yourself uncomplicated and simple goals. Choose one of these. Get up each day thinking about this. Take breaks during the day to focus on it. Check in at dinner time. Breathe it in. Just breathe. Go to sleep holding these thoughts and dreams.

Be on Negative Energy Watch. Wear a rubber band and snap it when you have a negative thought or reflect on your disappointment from the recent past. Laugh at yourself and then get up and get a glass of water. Wash your negative energy down with a long slow drink. See your new positive energy filling up your tank.

Spend time with positive people. If you find yourself with other folks who are bemoaning their lives, either encourage a change by suggesting everyone shift their attention to something better, or change the company you keep.

Do activities that bring laughter and fun. These don’t have to be costly. Ride bikes, roller skate, go to or rent movies, sing, dance, exercise, play board games, play poker with fun-loving people (for chips, not money!), read uplifting books or romances, call a friend long distance using free weekend minutes, go visit someone you love and haven’t seen in a long time who lives in a nearby town, plot your future conquests of the heart, play with children you adore, take your dog on a hike, watch your kitty with a ball of yarn.  

Just remember that belief that you will experience what you choose to envision is a key component for allowing it to happen.  So truly believe that great days are coming!

Now, if that disappointment flutters back in, shoo it away with a litany of gratitude. Maybe your portfolio is down and you’re scraping to pay medical bills, but your daughter is about to graduate college, you have the most amazing touch with decorating on a budget, the neighbors are letting you take all the plums off their trees that you could possibly want, your boyfriend has happily re-discovered his talent on the guitar and serenades you…

You get the idea. Life is not money. Life is life…find what is good about it and create more of it by appreciating what you do have. See the silver lining and not the grey cloud.