How To Cope With Uncertainty And Disappointment

I’ll admit, I’m normally a glass-half-full kind of girl but this last month has been a tough one. One major struggle I have had is dealing with the disappointment of having to cancel my November wedding due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I know I’m not the only bride-to-be out there who’s wrestling with the situation, so I thought I’d dedicate some space to revisiting essential coping skills, as we could all likely benefit from a little refresher course.

Although it’s normal to experience disappointment, I have learned how important it is to acknowledge your feelings and the root cause of the set-back so that it doesn’t come back to haunt you later. Here are three coping tools that I found helpful when processing feelings of frustration and restore my mental health.

Experience and Acknowledge Your Emotions: No matter how painful or difficult, it’s essential to stop and honestly experience your emotions. I know, it’s not easy, but being present in the moment and admitting what you’re feeling is the first step in moving through and ultimately accepting a distressing situation.

I like to find a quiet space outside on the grass, where I can sit in nature and just feel my feelings without any judgment. Other times, a little Zen music and free-flow journaling do the trick to dispel anxieties.

Practice Self-Care: Major disappointments trigger feelings of anxiety. While it’s vital to experience your feelings, it’s equally important to balance out the stress with self-care. When your emotions are too much, turn to those things that give you the greatest peace. It could be a yoga class, gentle guided meditation, or a long warm soak in your favorite essential oils. Lean-in to the things that soothe your mind and body.

My latest go-to for peace and tranquility is my bathtub with one of our Hungarian Lavender Bath Bombs.Rich in soothing Epsom salts and the velvety-scent of Hungarian Lavender essential oil, it gives me a healing sense of serenity.

Revisit Your True Desire, Not The Goal: This coping skill has given me the most help in moving through and accepting this current setback. Obviously, my husband-to-be and I were looking forward to a big wedding celebration. It’s normal to become deeply  disappointed when something doesn’t happen exactly as planned. However, our fundamental desire is to be husband and wife.

To this end, my love and I got hitched this past weekend on August 29^th. With the help of my mom and some family friends, we were able to host a beautiful intimate wedding ceremony. Our dream still came true and that is what truly matters.

I hope these suggestions are helpful in bringing you a little peace to your own lives.

As always, hoping you and your families are safe and well!

Sage XO