Expectations.
We all have them from the people around us, just as they do. Family, friends, colleagues, and staff. Various kinds of expectations. There are material expectations and there are emotional ones. Moral ones, physical ones, justified ones, and unreal ones, the list is endless.
I never believe people who say they have no expectations, as my experience with such people has taught me that they have the most.
We respect people and expect to be respected in return. We love people and expect to be loved back. We help people and expect to be helped back. In a perfect world, an honest balance of give and take would be possible. However, we don’t live in a perfect world which is why the balance of the give and to take where expectations are concerned is askew.
So what happens when our expectations are not met, as they so often aren’t?
Firstly, evaluate yourself honestly, on whether your expectations are justified, or not. For instance, you cannot only be a taker and expect givers to never tire of giving.
Do not judge your self-worth on the lack of the returns of love, respect, loyalty, and the like that you gave. As people can only give what they have. A person who has none of these cannot give them to you, right? He can only take.
So, should you continue giving even when you know there will be no returns? The choice to do so should be yours. And cribbing about the lack of returns later would not only be foolish but also wrong.
What if you are tired of being a giver and decide you want to put a stop to it? Once again, the choice to do so should be yours.
Won’t people think differently of you once you stop? Yes, they will, and not in a very complimentary manner too.
Shouls you expect it to matter though?
