Musings on Expectations

I had chosen this topic already although I hadn't made it here to start on it and then saw this video clip and it seemed to fit right in there! Certainly gets the point across clearly and concisely anyway, check it out :o)



So what happens when we have expectations? How often is the pictured outcome different to reality? How does that affect us? Generally speaking somehow it never quite lives up to our expectations does it, somehow it's always a bit of an anti climax and we then feel let down, or cheated in some respect. Easy to then let the ego step in further and we can feel like a victim, never getting what we want or deserve, always missing out, always failing and yet we've missed the somewhat incredible steps we've walked on the journey to that point. Eyes focused on the finish line we miss out on seeing the wonderful scenery around us as we race on. We are future focused to supply something we don't have right now and not honouring what we do have, wishing it away... Expectations involving other people is especially dangerous, after all, our desired outcome is one out of pretty much an infinite number of possible outcomes and none of them are in our control! So are we going to end up disappointed in some way? Generally yes!

Can we instead enjoy and participate fully in the journey itself? Sure we may have an idea of where we'd like to end up, but if we participate completely in each step of the journey the destination is no longer vital for our happiness or contentment, instead it becomes a secondary thing and thus we are more adaptable about where that finish line actually is and what the prize at the end may be. We roll with the punches better, we don't fall over as much and are hurt a lot less, and consequently we find our journey becomes a lot smoother anyway.

Enjoy every step of the journey, each one is precious and will have something to teach you if you want to be taught. The journey is so short anyway, before you know it it will be over, appreciate every second of it, Love as much as you can with all that you are, be compassionate to all around you, each of us is in the middle of our own journey and some of those steps are hard to take. Remove the expectations before they are allowed to remove your enjoyment, if you can't remove them, remember to learn from the disappointment that will inevitibly come from having them. Find your happiness in the journey :o)