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How to Break Free from Suffering By Lowering Your Expectations and Gain Serenity
Part 4 of 5: Overcoming Unrealistic Expectations
Managing my expectations has been a HUGE part of my recovery and is one of the foundations of my emotional sobriety. I’ve learned that sometimes, in order to have the peace I desire, I lower my expectations of others.
When we manage our expectations, we recognize that the only thing we can change is ourselves. We can’t change people, places, things or institutions. The only thing you can change is you. If you’re suffering because you have an expectation that’s not being met, the way to end the suffering is to change your expectation.
Now you don’t have to change your expectations of course, you get to. However, if you don’t change your expectations, you will continue to suffer. I don’t know about you, but I’m done with suffering! I want peace. And one way I know how to get to peace is that sometimes, I need to lower my expectations.
I can just hear some of you thinking, “People rise to the level of our expectations of them.” This is true sometimes, but not all the time. And if you’ve been suffering for years on end because your expectations are continually not being met, it might be a good idea to lower your expectations into alignment with reality.
