Expectations Vs. Reality!

Date: Saturday, April 9th, 2022

Hello readers, Happy Saturday to you all, and welcome to another wonderful day; I hope you achieve what you want today.

Today is the 9th day of April, meaning we have finally entered the weekend! 

"Endowed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be dissatisfied." 

Despite what your senses may tell you, it has been shown that everyone predicts how they will feel in various situations.

For example, a newly married couple will estimate their happiness level only to go higher over the years, but the truth is happiness tends to diminish as time passes.

We sometimes believe that the ideal job, perfect relationship, or fortune will change our happiness levels permanently. Still, the reality is they will only give us a fleeting boost of joy. 

Sometimes our expectations may confuse us into thinking that our goals/dreams will bring us much more than it does, so we tend to pursue the wrong goals.

Reality Vs. Expectations

If you read Charles Dicken's book on "Great Expectations," you will understand the problem with having expectations. 

In the story, the main character, Pip, inherits funds from a hidden patron; he views the fortune as a way to marry the girl of his dreams.

When he found out that money didn't play a major role in the larger plan, he realized that he had taken many important gifts and relationships in his life for granted. 

The expectations he had robbed him of fully appreciating his reality.

We may not enjoy what we have because we tend to expect more or compare what we have to what we could have.

How often have you focused so much on something you wanted that you didn't truly savor what you already had? 

How often might your expectations for great things make you feel like what you have isn't already great, even when many others have less than you?

Our expectations may get the better of us when we expect more than what is realistic in a given situation. 

You might be expecting your partner to live up to what you see in romantic films/movies or jobs to be idealized versions we had as children or our lives to match what we see on Instagram.

Our expectations may create considerable stress when they don't match actuality. 

You can also consider how social media can greatly contribute to this; We compare our worst moments with the best moments of other individuals, which are often filtered to look perfect. We may not even recognize this mismatched comparison.

Our expectations for life may be skewed and unrealistic based on what we think others have. Our view of what others have is limited, and they don't have the life that we perceive.

People who spend excess time on social media tend to be less happy because they surround themselves with a "Perfect life."

It is essential to take a more serious look into how your expectations stack up to reality. Here are some healthy ways to begin.

• Ask yourself if expectations should be this way, are you thinking the right way, or raising your hopes? Where did your expectations come from, and are they real?

• When you enter a new position, ask yourself what you expect will happen?

• When you feel depressed or disappointed, try to think whether it was practical to expect what you were hoping for.

Managing Expectations

It all comes down to your awareness; becoming aware of what you want is a great start. Becoming mindful of what you "should" be expecting is also a wide idea.

When you find something isn't going the way you expected, actively look for the positives in what you have. You may find that the moment you get over the disappointment, you gain something you didn't even think you had.

When you see others post on social media, remind yourself that what you see may not be reality. You should know that not everything you see on social media is real; what you see isn't always the truth.

Striving for more may lead you to work your hardest and do your best, but it can also rob you of happiness/joy, especially when you wish things to come more efficiently than they do or in a different way.

Be more aware of your expectations.

Thank you for reading!