Do you want to be disappointed by others? Probably not. The higher your expectations of others however, the greater potential for disappointment.

 Do you want someone to anticipate your needs?

Do you want your parent to show love to you the way your friends do?

Do you want your boss to “notice” the great job that you do?

Do you want your partner to care for you the way your parents cared for each other?

Expectation and it’s destructive qualities are the number one pattern that can destroy your relationships. What to do about it?

How about trading expectation for appreciation. Appreciate that your parent loved you the best way that they knew how to do. They walked in different “shoes” than the parents of others did. Appreciate the positive and negative lessons that you have learned because they were your parents.

Relationships with friends, co-workers and intimate partners are often damaged because you have a “secret” that they are not aware of…your expectations of who they “should" be or how they
should” behave. By giving others the power to determine your level of happiness, you are destined for disappointment. Their behavior has nothing to do with your happiness unless you allow it to interfere.

Trust and appreciate that people are doing the best that they can and that you are responsible for how you feel from moment to moment.

 What is the recurring disappointment that you experience from your relationship with others?_________

 What could you appreciate about these experiences?_________

 What could you be grateful for in your life right now? What have you learned from these disappointments?…which shifts the focus from victim to empowered self?___________