If exercise isn’t your thing, there are other methods of dealing with disappointment. The next thing you can try is the “screaming in a pillow” trick. When you’re alone, grab the first pillow that appeals to you. It could be a couch pillow or a pillow you sleep on at night. Now hold it up to your mouth and let it all out. Scream and scream and scream into the pillow. You’ll be surprised at just how much better you feel.
Your third option is a less-private one. Choose a trusted girlfriend who isn’t involved in whatever situation has disappointed you. Meet up with your pal and set a timer for 15 to 30 minutes. Your goal is to vent your heart out. But ask your pal to refrain from crosstalk. This is your chance to get your frustrations out. She can then give you feedback once the timer has gone off.
When it comes to dealing with disappointment, it's important to gain perspective on the situation. This is why Psych Central advises against making important decisions right after a disappointment has occurred. Wait until you’re calmer.
In other words, try not to take it personally. “So many of us are all too ready to attribute negative life events to our own personal failings. We say that we deserved it, or attracted it to ourselves or were not ‘good enough’ to have a different outcome,” Sophie Henshaw, D.Psych., tells Psych Central. “The reality is, life will simply do what it does, whether you are there or not. In this instance, you happened to be present during the event, which actually had nothing to do with you.”
Instead, Henshaw suggests taking a perspective of detachment. Don’t make the given situation all about you. It’s OK not to know why something has happened. This will add perspective in general.