WELLNESS MOMENT

March 26, 2020

Dear Seton Hill University Community,

As all of us deal with the continuing impact the COVID-19 global pandemic and the accompanying issues that social distancing are playing in our lives, the Seton Hill University Office of Counseling, Disability and Health Services has developed a series of Wellness Moments messages to help each of you through this difficult time. 

I hope that this first Wellness Moment message on Dealing with Disappointment will help each of you navigate the feelings of loss that so many of us are feeling.  Please remember the Office of Counseling, Disability and Health Services continues to be available to students virtually to help you with your needs. 

Please continue to stay safe!

Sincerely,

Terri Bassi-Cook

Director of Counseling, Disability and Health Services

Dealing with Disappointment

Seton Hill residence halls are closed, graduation is being postponed and community events are being cancelled. It is hard not to feel disappointed, frustrated and sad when receiving news like this. It is also very common to feel confused and concerned. Disappointment can drag you down; it can put you in a negative funk that lasts for days and maybe even weeks.

Support services at Seton Hill want to help you deal with this disappointment in a healthy and helpful way. We can even help you turn this situation into a new start for your future by helping you realize what you are learning through this difficult time.

1. Accept how you feel! Disappointment hurts and that’s OK! Don’t push it away or try to hide it. Allow yourself to feel the emotions that are brought on by the changes in our world. Doing so will allow the feelings to move on quicker and have you feeling better in the long run.

2. Talk it out! Venting to a friend or family member while they just listen can help release inner pressure. This is helpful in accepting what has happened and the plans that have changed. Be sure to make conversation function - work together to develop a plan as to how you can support each other and work through this difficult time. It is also helpful to realize that you are not alone in your feelings of disappointment. Everyone has had very important events be cancelled or postponed and they share your feelings!

3. Learn from it! Instead of getting lost in the pain and negative emotions that can come from disappointment, you can choose to see this as something you can learn from. Learning new things helps you grow as a person. Ask yourself; What is one thing I can learn from this? Maybe you have learned about the importance of communication, patience and flexibility. Maybe you have learned that you have a lot more problem-solving skills than you originally thought. Continue to find things that you are learning through this. 

4. Give yourself a dose of reality! Can the events that have been cancelled be rescheduled? The answer to most of them will be yes. Will you get another opportunity in life to experience the ones that aren’t going to be rescheduled? Probably. There are going to be other events in the future that leave you feeling disappointed. This feeling is temporary and you are learning new things every step of the way. 

Remember, through your time at Seton Hill, you have been learning how to think and act critically, creativity and ethically! You are not alone and your feelings are valid. We are all in this together!

 Information gathered from:

https://www.positivityblog.com/deal-with-disappointment/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/understand-other-people/201705/dealing-disappointment-in-life