One of the biggest opportunities for you to raise your vibe is by learning how to lower your expectations of others and yourself.
The reason why managing them is so important is because it has a direct effect on the emotional state you’re in.
- If you set high expectations and come up short you’ll experience a strong low vibrational emotion.
- Set no to a low expectation and come up short you’ll experience a lower intensity emotion.
In both circumstances, disappointment may be the result, yet the intensity of that emotion will vary greatly.
The less of an emotional attachment you have to an event in your life, the easier it is to let go and move forward from it.
This video is our #1 video on this topic.
How can you imagine putting the strategy in this video into action?
Why Do We Set Expectations?
They fulfill the desire of a part of our mind that finds comfort in certainty, familiarity, and predictability.
“Your brain is a predicting machine always looking to be one step ahead to keep you safe and alive!”
One of the biggest pitfalls in setting expectations is the lack of realization that factors out of our control can prevent them from being met.
If your desire to set goals for yourself then set them based on process and not outcome.
This places you in the driver’s seat.
“The less things are in your control, the better.”
Let’s compare and contrast things within your control vs those out of your control.
In your control:
- Attitude.
- Focus.
- Emotions.
- Discipline
- Tenacity.
Out of your control:
- What other people say or think.
- How other’s react or respond.
- The weather.
- Decisions made by your boss.
- Judgments made by parents about you.
When you begin to better manage your expectations you gain more control over your emotional state.
How Do You Lower Your Expectations Without Lowering Your Standards?
This is not the same as lowering your standards.
Your standards tend to represent a minimal requirement whereas expectations tend to represent a maximal demand.
- If something falls short of your expectations your response is typically to move on as you have no emotional attachment.
- If something falls short of your expectations your response is typically disappointment and you tend to let the emotion linger.
The key is to lower expectations while maintaining your standards as well as boundaries.
Always remember that a standard is typically focused on you, whereas an expectation is focused on someone or something other than you.
The Benefit of No Expectations
One of the biggest benefits of having no expectations is the amount of gratitude and appreciation you feel when someone or something exceeds them.
“Expectations are certainly easy to exceed when they simply don’t exist!”
It’s difficult to feel disappointment when no expectations are set.
An example would be, “giving while expecting nothing in return.”
One kind act may inspire another yet it shouldn’t be expected in return from another.
“When we let go of expectations we let go of the stress, anxiety, and anticipation of awaiting them to be fulfilled.”
Imagine how your life could change if you were to better manage what you expect.
How to Set Realistic Expectations
Set realistic expectations to decrease the risk of feeling undesirable emotions.
- An example of an unrealistic expectation may be to win the Powerball.
- A realistic example would be to have fun getting excited for the Powerball drawing.
You can make them simple and fun.
- “I expect to have the most fun ever this weekend!”
- “We’ll laugh the entire weekend!”
- “I expect the sun to rise tomorrow and to honor it.”
Not all expectations are bad.
The key is to be more consciously aware of when you’re setting them and whether you’re setting yourself up for success or failure.
What To Do Next
Your emotional well-being is influenced by many factors.
Managing your expectations is arguably one of those factors worthy of your attention.
Lower them and watch your vibe rise!
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