Many of us have spent the last month of 2021 – and now the first of 2022 – trying our best to carry on our lives safely while dodging the Omicron variant and adapting to the “plan B” restrictions.

It’s not been easy on any front, as we’ve dealt with continued disappointment and a reluctance to make new social commitments, coupled with winter-induced SAD and increasing news anxiety.

The pandemic forced us to become adept to dealing with disruption, but nearly two years in, who would have thought that we’d still be postponing, rearranging or even cancelling our plans?

The truth is that it doesn’t get any better to deal with, no matter how many times you experience that slow, sinking realisation that something you’ve looked forward to just isn’t going to happen. But while it’s never going to be a pleasant experience, there are some simple ways that the disappointment can be made just that bit easier.

Dealing with disappointment: 3 ways to help cope with still having to cancel plans