Disappointment: Three top tips on how to cope with setbacks

Has the Women's World Cup result on Sunday left you feeling disappointed?

If you've felt disappointed about something recently, you're far from alone.

It might be because England lost to Spain in the Women's World Cup at the weekend, or seeing another team go out earlier in the tournament.

Or it could be for another reason entirely, perhaps not doing as well as you'd hoped in a test or exam.

Whatever it is, when you're looking forward to something and it doesn't go the way you hoped, it can feel really disappointing and leave you feeling down.

But things WILL feel better soon.

Let us know in the comments what you do to help yourself feel better after a disappointment, plus any tips you might have for the Lionesses to lift their spirits.

If you're not quite sure though, experts Laverne Antrobus and Dr Radha Modgil have some great pointers for how to deal with disappointment.

Being disappointed shows you really care about something

It might sound strange but feeling disappointed is an important emotion, because it involves caring about something that means a lot to you.

Not everything can go the way we expect it to, and while disappointments will happen in life, they won't happen all the time.

Some things will turn out the way you want them to and that will feel amazing.

Laverne Antrobus is a child psychologist, that means she knows lots about emotions and how they can make people feel or behave.

She says: "Try and stay focused and positive and think about the little things you can get excited about."

Disappointments don't last forever

If you're disappointed by something, it's not unusual to feel let down, sad or even angry.

When a disappointment happens it might feel like the worst thing ever, but remember, those feelings will get better with time.

But, take your time

Give yourself time to feel the way you're feeling, if something has left you feeling disappointed for a while, that is fine and perfectly normal.

"We can often feel the need to move on straight away or ignore our feelings, but if we take time to process them and talk them through, we can move forward in a healthier way," says Dr Radha.

Dr Radha says it's not "failure" it's an "opportunity"

If it's a personal disappointment, like a test result or performance at a sporting event, Dr Radha says if you've tried your best, it's not "failure" it's an "opportunity".

"Nothing is ever a failure if it doesn't work out the way we want it to. It's actually an opportunity for things to move and develop in a new and potentially exciting way."

You can find more tips from Dr Radha on BBC Bitesize here.

Ways to make yourself feel better

Talking to an adult you trust about how you're feeling might make you feel better.

Laverne says: "Don't bottle up these feelings, talk to friends and family, as sad and angry feelings can be easier to manage when you talk about them."

Thinking of happy moments can help - what are the things that you can feel enthusiastic or excited about now?

Or, if you're disappointed about a recent sporting result, remember the times when the team did really well and how happy that made you feel.

Why not think about your favourite player and what lessons you can take from them - you can even let us know who your player of the tournament was.

And, with sport, as in life, there's always another opportunity for your team to win something.

British heptathlete (someone who competes over seven events) Katarina Johnson-Thompson has experienced a lot of heartbreak since winning her first world athletics title in 2019.

Recovering in just eight months from an Achilles injury that threatened to end her sporting career, she qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but was then dealt another crushing blow.

Katarina tore her calf during the 200m race that cruelly put an end to her bid for a first Olympic medal, but despite lying on the track in pain she crossed the finish line unaided, and picked herself up and carried on.

Fast forward to today and she has won her second World Athletics Championship title at the age of 30.

Don't take it personally

People can take things personally when things don't work out how they wanted them to, and that can effect the way they feel about themselves.

But if something hasn't gone the way you hoped, it can help to think about why, because often it's for reasons you had no control over.

Laverne says: "Don't be too quick to blame yourself, when things don't happen the way you want them to. Sometimes things are simply out of your control."

Support

Disappointment can sometimes be hard to deal with and if you need a bit of extra support, then there are people who can help.

You can tell a friend, parent, teacher or another trusted adult if you're struggling with your mental health, going to your doctor can be a good place to get extra help if you feel you need it.

Your doctor can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you're doing.

If you're in need of in-the-moment support you can contact Childline on 0800 1111.