Expectations

Why oh why... do we as humans create certain expectations for different people and situations in our lives and not enough expectations for ourselves? I've notice so many relationships and/or friendships have ended because of these "expectations", as well as leave you with the feeling of being easily disappointed or defeated. Having this mentality can literally ruin you, and you will never be satisfied. Next thing you know, you start to find yourself slowly turning into the Grinch who stole more than Christmas, but the most important gift of all which is self-happiness. 

Imagine the time we took investing in other people's lives with our opinions or unwanted advice, and instead replace it with becoming one with ourselves by creating our own self expectations; we could actually begin to achieve our own personal goals. There's nothing wrong with setting high expectations for yourself, it only becomes a problem when you start to include people as a beneficial factors to your own happiness or success.  Trust me, I'm only speaking from experience. As much as we all can agree that 2016 was a tragic year for America, I can honestly and truly (in my Joanne the scammer voice) say that this was the year of reflection and growth. All of the hurt, confusion, and rejection I've experienced from people that I considered good friends, guys that I've "talked" to, former co-workers, family, and jobs that I thought had my name on it was triggered by my own expectations. I believe that this is what use make me so vulnerable in the past, I would live life expecting more from others because I would be willing to do that much or even more for them. Crazy right?  No scratch that! It's not crazy, because that's just how I was raised. My mom is a very self-less woman and would always give her all to the people she cared about. I've always admired that trait about her and was blessed to have the same spirit, but didn't understand that sometimes that characteristic comes with alot of pain when accompanied by expectations. 

Expectations typically sound like:  "I can't believe he/she would do that", "I thought you were better than that", "I wish he/she could have" "Ouuuu they so fake because" and, "I don't understand why this would happen to me". It's all meaningless to harvest those thought patterns, because they do more harm than good to any relationship or situation. Like the anonymous quote says, "Expectations are premeditated resentments".  Nothing in this world should have that much control over your emotions.  In order to gain back self-control we must stop expecting from others and work on what we can do to better ourselves. With that being said, I've just added another mental note to self before I embark on the new year, which is to stop expecting.  I encourage you all to do the same, so that you may enjoy a life worth living.