I have disappointed you at some point.
But why in the world would expect anything other than that from me?
I’m very flawed.
I’m broken.
I’m imperfect.
Don’t you already know this about me?
Isn’t that freeing — to accept that we are all this easy?
Doesn’t that make it easier for us to forgive that idiotic thing someone else posted or commented online — if we realize we too are good at being an idiot quite often.
Doesn’t that make out easier for us to forgive those grudges that we’ve been holding?
Doesn’t that make it easier for us to find contentment in our present life circumstances — instead of either loathing ourselves for missing our paper dreams — or inflating our egos about “success” that was a good part luck?
Disappointment transforms to contentment when we set our bar of expectations rightly and reasonably and fairly.
If I find myself disappointed in others around me regularly — is it more likely that THEY are the problem — or that my expectations are the problem?
Even if I tell myself that it “is a little of both” — isn’t it the shortcomings of everyone that is to be expected? Or do I really think that their shortcomings need to be CORRECTED to what I EXPECTED — when I can’t even live up to the hypocrisy myself.
What good would it do me to lower my expectations and be surprised and overjoyed when people regularly surpassed my lowered expectations?
Or do I foolishly think that my false expectations have any impact on what they ate actually going to do or “live up to”?
Lower your expectations. Be happy. Be content. Be grateful for now. Don’t fret about tomorrow. Give your best every day, and enjoy the success of a peaceful mind.
Harold J. Ballinger 