Expert reveals how to cope with disappointing exam results

It’s that time of year where thousands of GCSEs and A-Level students will be gearing up to open they're exam results, many of them nervous for the potential outcome. With Google searches for 'Exam result's day' have increased by +50% in the last three months, suggesting a desire to find various ways to cope with stress this exam season.

But what if you haven’t performed well, or perhaps you've failed? Not all hope is lost, as greetings card marketplace, thortful, has teamed up with award-winning Confidence Coach and motivational speaker Kirsty Hulse to offer expert advice on overcoming stress, coping with disappointment, and emphasising the importance of confidence as you progress in life:

1. Let yourself be disappointed: Whenever you encounter a setback, it's crucial to recognise that making mistakes is integral to the journey toward growth and learning. Therefore, an important strategy is to allow yourself to feel disappointment and acknowledge that you may not consistently achieve your desired outcome, and that's okay. Embrace those emotions as they will empower you to progress, persevere, and remain motivated to ace whatever challenges life presents next.

1. Try to have a growth mindset: People with a growth mindset see failure and making mistakes as part of the process of getting better. Developing this mindset is an essential tool to nurture as we grow; it means you are open to feedback and getting things wrong. Remember that making mistakes does not mean you are a failure, and it’s not embarrassing.

1. Focus on your confidence: Research shows that confidence is crucial for a successful life. When you believe in yourself and understand your true worth and value, you can advocate for yourself, set boundaries, and say yes to the things that feel good to you and no to the things that don’t. The great thing about confidence is that it’s not a personality trait; it’s a lifelong skill everyone can learn, and you keep learning.

1. Trust the process: Finding your feet takes time! It happens at different times for different people; some of us are slow boomers. The advice I give to any student, whether academically strong or more creative, is to trust the process; life will take twists and turns, and you’ll find yourself on your feet. Things will work out, so I advise you to focus, work hard, commit, and believe in yourself. And remember, life is not that deep.