Edit your expectations.
We all have things we expect out of life. For some of us, the list is longer than for others. But each of us has behaviors, outcomes, and tangible items we look for from others and from existence in general.
Having goals and boundaries isn’t a bad thing. However, problems can occur when we are inflexible in what we expect.
Commonly, we will feel upset or resentful when our expectations aren’t met. We may feel victimized by life or disappointed by others. We didn’t get what we wanted or felt we deserved.
When others don’t fulfill our expectations, we can certainly express our feelings. But they aren’t necessarily obliged to alter their behavior toward us.
Or life may not offer us what we hoped for. We can rail against our fate and try the same things over again hoping for different results. Or we can alter our approach.
We also may hold rigid expectations for ourselves and our accomplishments and behavior. Berating ourselves for failing to measure up doesn’t put us in a positive space to achieve much of anything. Being willing to be a bit gentle with ourselves will help us feel happier and get what we want more quickly.
All three scenarios above can be alleviated by altering our expectations. We’re not denying that we’re worthy. We simply aren’t expecting something from others, life, and ourselves that isn’t happening in this moment.
That’s not to say it might not occur in the future. But when we revise what we expect, we open up pathways for alternate possibilities, some of which might be better than what we initially desired.
Today’s message invites me to be more fluid in my expectations. When I am less rigid in what I expect, I allow life’s bounty to flow more easily to me through a variety of means.
Please reflect and share. What firmly held expectation might you benefit from releasing?