Skip to main content

Feeling disappointed?

The letdown when reality doesn't meet our hopes or expectations. Disappointment asks us to grieve what we hoped for and adjust to what is.

The unmet need

Space to mourn the unmet expectation; flexibility to revise our hopes based on reality; the wisdom to know when to persist and when to let go.

A question to sit with

Was my expectation realistic, or was I hoping for something this person or situation couldn't provide? What can I learn from this gap?

What to do right now

Write what you hoped for and what actually happened. Grieve the gap. Then ask: "What can I realistically expect now?" Adjust your hopes to match reality.

Related feelings

Track this feeling with Arpsy's free check-in · Explore the emotion wheel · All emotions