Expectations - Less Expectations ... Less Disappointments .

👪EXPECTATIONS 👫

      The great William Shakespeare has said “Expectation is the root of all heart ache.” As much as we all know that this is true, we still can’t give up expecting. Expecting and getting acceptance is the truth of life. Needs, Hope and Expectations are tightly connected to each other. Need as a requirement gives rise to hope. Hope gives us courage to expect and expectation gives us the confidence to put efforts and try harder. Life will be colourless … meaningless without expectations. People say, “Never expect anything in return from anyone.” But, when we really love and care for someone, we do expect a little care and response from them as well. Being human … this is how we are. We all crave for acceptance and appreciation all our lives in one way or another. Appreciation starts from our own home. We get so busy with our lives and routine that we unknowingly start assuming our loved ones, people that matter the most to us. We go out in the world to please, establish our lasting impression and maintain our reputation. Many people like to generously judge other people and are stingy when it comes to appreciating. No one is perfect. Sentiments need to be nurtured with effort and care.

           When our expectations are fulfilled, everything looks so perfect. our happiness quotient is at its peak. Positivity, excitement, enthusiasm, love, care, gratitude, kindness, compassion, warmth etc surrounds us and we show it off with pride. On the other hand, when things don’t work our way…  the hurt, pain and misery that we experience opens the door to negativity, anger, fear, frustration, sadness, depression, jealousy, rivalry and much more. They are like the dark clouds that surround us, could drive us to a dark corner of our mind and the web of these feelings could tie us up making us incapable to think sound and straight. We would feel hopeless, dejected and lost. Loneliness is our scariest foe. We desperately need someone or some force to help us come out of that corner and reach the ray of light. It is all within us. in our head. the way we think.

             Earlier I used to expect a lot from everyone I came across and anything that I did. The past few years have taught me to look at my life in a much different way. I could deal with the unfulfilled materialistic expectations, but, found myself very weak while dealing with the failed expectations I had with my close to heart relationships. A mind-boggling experience with a dear one few years ago shattered my thoughts, making me think and realise a very important rule of life -   No Expectations … No Disappointments.  I would be lying if I say that I can totally abide to this rule. I remember my mother always saying, “We are blessed with relatives and we can choose our friends.” I now understand and realise that we have to ,while protecting our self-respect , show some compassion and warmth, especially towards the people who matter the most to us . Like the two sides of a coin and two hands required to clap .. there are two views and opinions too, mine and yours. Rephrasing the rule could help – Less Expectations …. Less Disappointments. I do not agree to gambling nor do I gamble myself, but, I have now understood that Life is a gamble…. A gamble of expectations. This is how I like to look at life now …  keep spinning and try my luck each day. Lucky day – I win …  unlucky day- I loose.  Work hard and achieve what we deserve . What goes around ... comes around.  We must strive hard and challenge our destiny.   

                  Let me end by reminding myself, “Don’t blame people for disappointing you …blame yourself for expecting too much from them.”