Yesterday we went to the Boulder County Fair with the anticipation I had inside of me like the fairs I went to as a kid. I grew up in Clackamas County in Oregon and those fairs were really fun and interesting. There were lots of animals and exhibits and enjoyable things to do. So I thought the Boulder Fair would be the same fun. This fair is much smaller, stuff to do is much less, and the animal section was small with only chickens, ducks, turkeys and goats. Where the heck was the cows, sheep, pigs, horses etc? We found out that they may come later.
Sometimes the past just seems more interesting because of fond memories and the excitement of a child. I was excited but then we saw everything in such a short time and my wife and I said is this all there? Do you every go to something with lots of anticipation and then have it fall way short of what you were hoping for? Yes so do I.
Expectations have their positive and not so positive side. The best expectations are ones that work out great and things seem as good or better than you had hoped. The worst fall flat and leave you wondering what went happened.
Who do you think we have the highest expectations for in our lives? Yes you are right, the highest expectations you have are for yourself. Let’s talk about the expectations you have for those you care about and for yourself.
First let’s start with this idea: lighten up and make sure your expectations are realistic towards yourself. Unrealistic expectation set you up to be disappointed and feel negative about yourself. That does not work. Having a positive intention for what you want in your life is great but lay off the heavy handed expectations that are just set ups for failure. Be kind and go for what you want and also be compassionate towards everything you do.
Secondly, the expectations you have of others can also be equally troubling. It is best to remove all expectations and instead be encouraging and supportive of who they are and what they want to do with their lives. Anything more intense is a set up for failure. The primary reason you get disappointed with those you love is that you set expectations which they can’t live up to and often times they had no intention of living according to what you expect. They have not even said they are willing to try and live up to what you expect but you expect it anyway. This is a recipe for relationship disaster. Relationship success is more about unconditional love and support not expectations.
So in summation, drop your expectations and instead focus on being grateful for who you are and for the beauty and brilliance of those you love. Your life will just feel so much better if you do. Have a fun and rewarding week.