Realistic Expectations

They say "Happiness is a state of mind" and that it's all in how you perceive life and your situation. I also think that happiness is connected to having realistic expectations. If you expect perfection, you will be frequently disappointed because pure perfection is impossible. Don't get me wrong. I firmly believe in aiming high and doing your best but not to the point of feeling consistent disappointment.

We must look at ourselves and our situation as a constant "work in progress". We are continuously growing and learning - at least we should be. Try to create realistic goals for yourself so that you can achieve them and feel good about them.

Realize you will have disappointments and setbacks. I think this is key in feeling happy. Life is full of challenges and we must be willing to accept them, take them on, and deal with them. Expecting life to be free of negativity, sadness and disappointment is setting yourself up for frustration and failure.

Yesterday, I spent an hour reviewing what to write in my blog and writing it all down through the internet. After feeling content with what I'd written, focusing on the blog's subject of happiness and the acceptance of life's disappointments, I went to save my work and publish it on the site. Can you believe all my work went out the window because the internet connection froze as I was saving it? I was shocked. All the work I had put into it was gone. I frantically hit the "back" button, thinking it had to be in there somewhere. It wasn't. I was ticked. I couldn't even look at my computer to rewrite it. After an hour, once I cooled off, I realized how fitting this was. It was a test. I had a setback and became disgusted and frustrated. Even knowing what I should do, I did the opposite automatically.

I think we are conditioned to react this way out of habit. It takes effort to focus on reacting to situations differently. By realizing bad things happen, we are better able to respond when things go wrong.

Are you living your life realistically?

-Renee
Business & Personal Coach
Coaching 4 Success, Inc.
www.LeadMeToSucceed.com