When we give ourselves a moment to think about what we really want in our lives, we, for better or for worse, realize the imaginings of a perfect fairytale.
We want the perfect partner and loving relationship, we want a career that fulfills us, we want a beautiful home with perfect neighbors who become our best friends, we want to travel the world and have the most exciting foreign experiences, and so it goes on.
While desiring a certain level of success and growth of our own potential is perfectly normal, what gets us into trouble is with our expectations.
Typically when we think of these future focused desires what we aren’t thinking about is the reality of life:
- The inevitable arguments and ups and downs of any intimate relationship that, if handled well, only strengthen the bond between two people
- The nuances of what it means to work with other people as you are on the path of a fulfilling career
- The renovations of an aging house
- The airport delays and possibly even stomach flus we get while traveling to foreign countries
And the moment our expectations aren’t met we end up having a harder time managing our mind and the myriad if emotions that surface.
What if instead we understood life was 50/50? That when we come across the valley, we understand it will take time to cross it in order to get to the mountain top.
Instead of being surprised, angry, or frustrated when things don’t go your way, because hey, life right?, we are met with acceptance and understanding that sometimes things happen.
All of this is said so that when we manage our expectations we are allowing and living with more lightness in our lives. Less heaviness, yearning, grasping and more lightness.
Can you notice a subtle shift?
When looking back at your most recent disappointment, what was you expectation of the outcome? How did you manage your emotions and how can you use the 50/50 rule when it comes the future expectations?
So, here’s to managing our expectations and allowing more lightness into our lives.
In wellness,
Susan
Susan is a Life Coach based in Seattle, WA. Her main focus is to coach people build a strong emotional container so that we can experience the fullness of life coming from a place of deep confidence. Susan also coaches clients looking to heal adrenal fatigue by using a mental meta-model aimed at breaking down old mental patterns and behaviors so that we can finally tap into our own personal power.