Letting go of expectations

I have been feeling various levels of disappointment lately.

Disappointment in people’s actions. Both people I know personally and people I don’t know but observe from a distance.

Disappointment in not getting an outcome I want.

Disappointment in how higher-ups are handling everything going on, between the pandemic and what the school year will potentially look like.

As I considered all these things, I noticed something.

Everything I am disappointed about is out of my control. 

I had an expectation that things would be different.

Which leads to suffering. 

It is all self-induced. 

I am creating my own suffering because I am wanting things to be other than my current reality. Expecting them to be different.

It points to an element of control that I have to completely let go of.

Letting go of control. 

Oy. That’s always a tough one.

A lesson I am constantly learning again and again and again…

But for me, disappointment often leads to a feeling of sadness. Which illuminates how I want life to be.  

I see this as a gift. 

That sadness shows me what I want, what I deeply care about, what I want my life to look like.

OK, so I can’t change certain things. But what can I change? 

I can change my mindset, my actions, how I interpret things.

I think there is value in having expectations of how you want your life to be, but when it doesn’t meet your reality? You are just creating more suffering for yourself.

Learn to let that sh*t go.

“Expectations are the root of all heartache.”

William Shakespeare

I write about this because I need to hear it, too.

LOL.

Let expectations go.

Do what makes you happy.