First vs. Following Impressions

Yes, everyone knows that first impressions are a big deal. Everything in life - from bringing your first date home to job applications - involves the all-important First Impression. What happens when that first impression falls apart? Perhaps it is a case of events occurring in threes, but I think I'm in the midst of a series of first impressions falling apart. Sometimes the dissolving of a first impression is a good thing. The boss you first thought would be unbearable turns out to just have an odd sense of humor, for example. By far one of the most disappointing aspects of mundane life, however, is when the opposite is true. The person who began as a potential friend becomes self-absorbed, too busy, or suddenly sours. The job or project begun with high hopes ends up being something to "just get through" or just get "over with". Again the question at hand: how to deal with this sudden downturn of events? Looking forward to a potential upturn is one method (especially if the thought that whatever the anticipated event is won't turn to disappointment is ignored). Finding unrelated and positive events happening at the same time as the current events is another method. Basically, finding the good somewhere should help. If that doesn't work, distracting oneself with something while waiting for a positive turn of events sometimes helps alleviate the distress.