A ramble into expectations...

Expectations

This blog subject has been rattling around in my head for days...not sure how it will play out but let's give it a go...

We all have expectations of one kind or another whether it is how we expect an event to turn out, a recipe to work, a job to be or a person to act (or react).  The outcome isn't always what we 'expected' it to be.

One of my life lessons (that I still struggle with on occasion) is my expectation of how people act and react to me, to others and to certain situations.  Unfortunately quite often I am disappointed, maybe I have high or unrealistic expectations?

We have just had all our festive celebrations - did they all live up to your expectations?  Did the presents you receive turn out to be what you expected or maybe more than you expected? (or less?).

Why do we put these levels of expectation on ourselves and others?  (I don't have an actual answer to that question).  Aren't we just setting ourselves up to be let down?  Or is that too negative, do we put those expectations in place so that we can be pleased and surprised when things all work out?

I hopefully live up to the expectations of others, I certainly try my best to be a good wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, teacher etc - I try to do all that I can to be there, support and help others - but I have to assume that sometimes I fail - but is it that I haven't done enough or have gotten it wrong or is it that that the other person's expectations of me were unrealistic?

I can only be ME, I have worked for many years with my shadow - to recognise and work with those parts of my personality that I don't like much, to become the best person I can be but I am after all human so I do slip up occasionally.

Or maybe I try too hard to be that perfect person, maybe sometimes I am actually walked over, used or manipulated by others in my attempt to live up to their expectations, finding myself going against my intuition and personal code of conduct just to keep them happy?

I don't have any real answers to these questions, I just wanted to put the thoughts from my head into the written word to make some sort of sense to it.

In reality I will continue to do what I can to be the best person that I can possibly be, but I think I will temper it now and remember that actually I have my own code of conduct to live by and that won't necessarily be the same as others so I mustn't beat myself up when my views, words or actions differ from those of someone else or when they don't do or say what I expect them to.

I shall continue to be ME and actually maybe I do have high expectations but I don't want to lower them because I believe them to be right for me, if others don't agree or meet my expectations then maybe we aren't meant to be walking the same journey...