Expectations

One of the beautiful parts about living in Florida is the experience of our beaches and the salt water life.  Those familiar with the salt-water life know that our waters are based around tidal flows.  Life is not much different than tides.  At times our lives can swim with the current and things go well, and at times our lives can swim against the current and things are more challenging.  When things get challenging and we find ourselves swimming against the tide, we need to investigate what our expectations are for ourselves and others.  Our expectations for ourselves and others will influence emotional states.  We must ensure that our expectations are realistic.  For example if we set our expectations too high we may not fulfill them or live up to a particular standard.  If we do not meet our expectations we assume that we are failures, and that can influence our thoughts, motivation, and self-worth.  Every action has a re-action, and when we are in negative thoughts most likely our behaviors and emotions will be negative also.  This can take a toll on our energy and lead to us questioning our abilities.  Low motivation can lead to stagnation which can influence our goals and achievements.  Living with low self-worth can become exhausting and simply leave us feeling overwhelmed.  When we feel overwhelmed no light at the end of the tunnel exists and it just may be easier to give up then find solutions.

Our expectations for others must also be realistic.  When we set our expectations too high for others many times they fail to meet them and we get upset at them and they really did nothing to deserve this.  When we get upset with others it can influence or even strain the relationship.  This strain puts pressure on one part of the relationship while all the while the other may not be capable of fulfilling the expectation in the first place. Once the relationship is strained it can lead to resentment and bitterness between parties.  When resentment and bitterness exist every little aspect of the relationship is under the microscope.  When this tension enters the relationship it can enhance the chances of conflict to arise. This resentment and bitterness can be a barrier to resolving conflict as we hold grudges toward others.  When we do not solve conflict in relationship they carry over to the next conflict, freezing all conflict in place.