Too High Expectations Keep Us From Enjoying The Little Things

In life we ​​tend to want more and more of everything and this continues until it turns into an impulse to get everything we desire. Expectations are subjective and biased and  we should definitely not confuse ‘being ambitious’ with ‘having too high expectations’. We often realize that our expectations are based on the idealization of our friendships, relationships and what we do.

Expectations are a double-edged sword that we must know how to use to our advantage. Sometimes they are even the necessary motivator to move us forward and other times they are the most direct route to a personal disappointment. Having positive expectations about something is a way of feeling hopeful, which helps you anticipate the satisfying outcome of a situation. The danger comes when we become overly optimistic, even if it would be better to call it unrealistic.

“Expect the best, plan and assume the worst, and be prepared to be surprised.”
-Denis Waitley-

Humility, the recipe against unrealistic expectations

Humility can be defined as being aware of our own weaknesses and limitations and acting in accordance with this knowledge. We can be proud of ourselves when we recognize our successes and improvements without feeling superior to the rest of humanity. We should all make a little effort every day to practice our humility.

Cultivating humility will distance us from disproportionate pride. A haughty or too proud person hides his lack of knowledge to handle certain situations. A  proud person feels better and more important than those around him and thus his goals must always be bigger and better than others,  which sometimes leads to him creating rather incoherent goals with his overrated skills.

Modest people are authentic people, without complexes, with a lot of self-confidence. They are people who are so sure of themselves that they don’t have to shout it from the rooftops every day. They are people who are interesting, infect us with hope and passion and who enjoy every day of their lives.

“The secret of wisdom, strength, and knowledge is humility.”
-Ernest Hemingway-

Practicing gratitude helps us appreciate the little things

Practicing gratitude is one of the most important activities we can undergo and a great source of well-being. In addition to making us feel better about ourselves and making others feel better, it  will enable us to make changes and improvements in a conscious and serene way,  distancing ourselves from urgency.

There are those who are grateful for everything that comes their way in life without any apparent effort on their part, and then there are others who find this incredibly difficult because they haven’t learned how to do it yet. Complaining and permanently dissatisfied attitudes do not make us happy or content with what we have.

No matter how much we gain or have, if we just focus on what we don’t have instead of being thankful for what we do have, we will be doomed to unhappiness. Gratitude is an attitude born of modesty  and this is why we must first be humble if we want to be grateful: a quality that disaffected people lack.

Expressing gratitude, from a simple smile to a “thank you,”  lets others know that their presence, words, or actions are important and that they help us in some way with the things they do. It’s a way of showing respect and appreciating what others do for us, regardless of their motivation.

If we expect to wake up every morning, we probably won’t feel very grateful for being alive.