It's easy to be a bad sport when you have suffered a minor loss in some area of life. Instead of getting down on yourself, aim to maintain your composure. This is especially important if the setback you are experiencing involves others, such as a romantic partner, boss, or casual acquaintance. If you handle such relationships poorly, your confidence will only be lessened. However, if you handle such relationships gracefully and with finesse, you can demonstrate to yourself that you are capable and strong-willed.Let's say you were passed over for a promotion and a coworker was chosen for the position. Rather than being a sore loser, approach the person who received the promotion and congratulate him or her. Doing so allows you to portray yourself as respectable and dignified. It is also good practice for winning — because ruminating about a loss is just as unfavorable as bragging about a success.
Even if you don't approach the "winner" (or, if such a scenario does not fit your circumstances), try your best not to spend too much time outwardly or inwardly dwelling on the setback. Accept your disappointment and regroup.;
, Blame is another sign of poor coping and inability to accept responsibility. If things didn't go your way, it's hardly appropriate to lay fault on others. Blaming someone else - even if this person(s) is partly responsible — only hurts you.For one thing, assigning blame diminishes your own role in the situation. It enables you to point the finger at someone else without taking responsibility for your own mistakes or misjudgments. Secondly, blame provides you with ammunition to be disrespectful or mean towards another.
Don't allow blame game to taint your heart. Acknowledge that all humans make mistakes (even you) and strive to learn from yours.
When you accept responsibility, you can move quickly past feelings of resentment and on to finding a solution or a plan B.
 When humans feel down about themselves or specific life situations, they tend to neglect health and wellness, and confidence (and mood) takes a further hit. Prevent further setbacks by being gentle and kind to your body. Despite your current situation, make a commitment to eat balanced meals rich in vitamins and nutrients, exercise regularly, and sleep seven to nine hours each night., Eating right, staying active, and sleeping will help to lift your mood and your self-confidence. Practicing additional relaxing strategies such as progressive muscle relaxation or meditation may help to clear your head up for strategizing on how to bounce back after this setback. Do whatever helps to ease your mind and bring you back to a place of calm and peace. Go running. Play with your dog. Read that novel that's been lying on your desk for weeks.


To practice progressive muscle relaxation, sit comfortably in a chair with your thighs parallel to the floor and your hands at your side. Take several deep, cleansing breaths, pulling air in through your nose and out through your mouth. Start with the muscles in your face. Contract these muscles and hold for five seconds. Notice how it feels when the muscles are contracted. Now, release the muscles and notice how that feels. Continue taking deep breaths and move through each muscle group in your body.
There are various forms of meditation, but compassion meditation may be most helpful in this situation.Find a comfortable position and take a few deep breath, closing your eyes. Try to focus on your breathing, and then begin to notice if you're carrying tension anywhere in your body, or if you're holding onto stress or worry. Offer yourself kind and compassionate words, such as "May I be kind to myself," and "May I accept myself as I am." If your mind begins to wander or you feel overwhelmed, focus again on your breathing., Right now you feel upset, disappointed, or uninspired. This may feel like a bad time to reach out for help, especially when your confidence is already low. In truth, asking for assistance after running into a stumbling block is the most opportune time. Approach your boss, a more experienced coworker, a mentor, or a spiritual advisor. You can get feedback from anyone, but it will be most helpful to speak with someone who intimately understands your situation.Introduce (or explain) your circumstances and ask this person to be candid with you. Your question might sound like, "Why do you think this happened?" or "What do you think I need to do to prevent this from happening again?"
Do not allow your current state of vulnerability to limit you from getting practical advice. Listen to the person's response and ask qualifying questions to better understand. Refrain from judging or defending (remember, you came to this person for help). Take notes so that you can later reflect on these responses and decide how to proceed.
 Watching, or reading about, how others perform in similar situations can be a learning and growing experience for you. Closely observe others who have either overcome the same obstacle or have completely bypassed it. Pay attention to how they carry themselves, interact with others, and manage through such a setback. It can also be helpful to read autobiographies or self-help book that relate to what you are going through.Hearing or reading about others' experiences can help you rebuild your confidence by recognizing that everyone encounters setbacks. This stumbling block was not exclusive to you — everyone has to get back up and dust themselves off at some point.
 One quote wisely proclaims that "Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat..." Do you agree? Or, have you been lumping failure in the same category as the plague? Work to redefine what it means to fail, and you will instantly feel a boost in your self-confidence. Try these strategies to help you:Practice positive thinking. Rather than seeing a setback as a failure, strive to view it as a stepping stone to success. When you find yourself entertaining negative thoughts, challenge them. For example, you think "My business will never be successful." Look for ways that you have found success — no matter how small — and attack this thought. A more positive thought would sound like, "I have built a small client list, and I have great products. I have everything in order. I just need to keep at it."
Remove the negative contractions from your vocabulary. Challenge yourself to change the way you speak. Toss out words like "can't," "won't," or "shouldn't." Doing this alone will force you to speak more positively.
Remind yourself of your strengths and think back to a time when your strengths led you to success. Remember that you hold the tools already, and you just need to try again.
 People often set themselves up for disappointment because they narrow their focus to the outcome only. Decide for a day or a week that the outcome doesn't matter. Just tell yourself that the only thing that matters is what you do today or this week. Remember, it's the journey, not the destination.A good example of shifting your focus can be found in a weight loss program. If you only pay attention to the numbers on the scale, you may be pleased some days and disappointed on others. On the other hand, when you take note of other variables of change, like the way your jeans fit or how much energy you have, you can see how you have made progress.
 After a setback it can be nerve-wracking to jump back in the saddle. You must. Take baby steps to gradually rebuild your confidence. Taking smaller, more calculated risks can help you to regain a sense of self-efficacy without risking everything.Analyze all the variables of a given situation and weigh the pros and cons. Consider what you can afford to lose. If the pros outweigh the cons, and you have much to gain, go for it. Getting back out there — in a smart and calculated way — can work wonders for your confidence level.
Accept setbacks gracefully.
Avoid pointing the finger.
Treat your body well.
Treat your mind well.
Ask for feedback.
Observe or learn from others.
Change your definition of failure.
Focus on change rather than results.
Take calculated risks.
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