5 Reasons Why It’s Better To Accept and Not Expect

5 Reasons Why It’s Better To Accept and Not Expect

Realities differ from expectations in that reality is what occurs. Although we hope our expectations are met, this is not always the case. Dissatisfaction and sadness can frequently result from this mismatch between expectations and reality.

This article examines how having high expectations might result in disappointment if reality falls short of them. It also discusses a few methods you can employ to control your expectations.

Are Expectations Presumptions?

Expectations are the ideas you have about how things will turn out. While these expectations may be crucial in deciding what occurs and may encourage goal-directed activity, they may also cause disappointment when the reality differs from your expectations.

The following are a few typical indications that you might have expectations:

• Having a predetermined assumption of what you want or need from a circumstance.
• Anticipation of a specific result.
• Envisioning how events will unfold.

People can occasionally become so enamored with their expectations that they cannot perceive things as they are. Due to this, they may be prevented from acting or choosing in their best interests.

According to research, people are shockingly bad at foreseeing their feelings in diverse circumstances.

One study, for instance, discovered that newlywed couples tended to predict that their happiness levels would increase or stay the same throughout the four years after marriage.

In actuality, their happiness levels tended to decline at that supposed time. This proves that having expectations robs one of fully appreciating reality.

The Impact of Expectations on Gratitude

When your aspirations exceed what you have, it usually signifies that you don’t value what you already have. Instead, you might discover yourself wishing for more or contrasting what you already have with what you could have attained.

One study, for instance, showed that individuals exposed to a subtle reminder of wealth spent less time savoring a chocolate bar and less enjoyment of the experience than other people who weren’t subjected to the reminder.

Be Conscious of What You Expect

To begin with, analyze your expectations in a situation. It all narrows down to awareness if you want to escape the expectations vs. reality trap.

A good place to begin with is by becoming conscious of your expectations. Knowing what you “should” anticipate is also a good idea.

• Before entering a novel scenario, consider what you anticipate transpiring.
• Ask yourself if your expectations should exist. Are these expectations reasonable, and where did they come from?
• When you’re feeling let down, try to consider whether your expectations were reasonable. Make a plan for the future to get what you desire if this is the case. Consider how you might control your expectations if not.

Managing Expectations

Learning to control your expectations might be useful when attempting to escape the expectations vs. reality trap. It’s crucial to examine more closely how your expectations compare to reality and how your mood is affected. Following are the 5 reasons why it’s better to accept and not expect.

1. Expectations Might Not Reflect Reality

Your expectations may get the best when you expect more than what is reasonable in a given situation. You may have unrealistic expectations from your partner, job, or life. These expectations may be based on romantic comedies, childhood fantasies, or even social media platforms like Instagram.

When expectations don’t meet reality, it can be quite stressful. Think about how social media can play a significant role in this. You contrast your own worst moments—the ones that aren’t appropriate for sharing online—with the best—often filtered—moments of others.

You may not be aware of this inappropriate comparison and could be doing it subconsciously. This could partly explain why people who use social media more frequently report being less content.

2. Be Grateful

Actively search for the advantages of what you have when you discover that what is happening is not what you anticipated.

After you get over your disappointment, you can discover that you have something you didn’t know you needed. This makes it easier for you to appreciate what you already have.

3. Avoid Comparisons

Remember that it might not be true when you go through other people’s social media posts and decide you desire what you see. Knowing the course you want things to go is important, but remember that not everyone lives the life you think they are.

4. Find Your Happiness

You might underestimate how content you’ll be if you have what you desire. For instance, you can discover that your happiness is not very long-lasting if you perform a job you despise to save money to purchase an expensive automobile or branded clothes.

5. Exercise Accepting Yourself Emotionally

Don’t punish yourself for feeling let down or disappointed. Work on accepting unpleasant emotions like disappointment or envy for what they are rather than attempting to ignore or suppress them.

Try contrasting yourself with those who possess less or more instead. Better yet, avoid making generic comparisons to other people. It would be best if you only competed against yourself.

Final Word

Ultimately, aiming higher can motivate you to put up your all-out effort. It can also deprive you of joy, particularly if you anticipate things to go differently or more readily than they do. By becoming more conscious of your expectations and how they affect your reality, you can avoid the disappointment and frustration that result from having unreasonable expectations.