The Anger Of Expectations
When I was growing up no one ever talked to me about expectations. I never read a book about it, never had my dad sit me down and talk to me about expectations, didn’t even hear a sermon on expectations. But as I walk into adulthood I have found time and time again that expectations is the biggest thing I struggle with.
Whether it be high or low expectations, I often find myself disappointed and often times angry that they are never met. It is not something that I realized was going on, but it has become glaringly obvious to me that at the core of most of my frustration are my expectations.
I often wonder if expectations are a motive of selfishness, idealism, or the lack of contentment? It is probably is all of the above. But expectations seem to be the first thing I set and the last thing I think about. But they never leave me satisfied. In fact, they only produce more anger.
This struck me as odd when I realized that hardly anyone talks about the issue of expectations. How we project them on others, situations, and our own life.
Here are just a couple of quotes I found about expectations:
“There were two ways to be happy: improve your reality, or lower your expectations” -Jodi Picoult, Nineteen Minutes
“When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are.” -Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
“No expectations mean there is no risk of disappointment.” -unknown
I do not know about you, but expectations kill me every time. With the girls I have dated, with every job I have taken, every friendship I have started, and every dream I have dreamt.
And as I continue to think abou this subject I come back to a one-way conversation with myself. I feel like I need to get this conversation out to others.
This is something that I have never talked about before and would love to hear what you think about expectations and how you handle them.
Share your thoughts on expectations below
*kyle









