The Cycle of Disappointment
Expectations are a bitch!
Isn’t it interesting how I searched for “expectations” on Pexels for a cover photo and found only pregnant women expecting? Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I’m not writing about pregnancy. Although I’d love to be expecting my second child, that’s an expectation for another time.
Here I am, expecting too much from everyone, even the internet. I never seem to learn my lesson.
I tend to let people into my heart and life pretty quickly. I guess I’m a firm believer in the goodness of people. Even a tiny bit of kindness convinces me they won’t disappoint me. Why would they do that? I’m a good person.
I’m not sure where I picked up this habit, but I’ve always liked giving people the benefit of the doubt right from the start. It’s like giving them a perfect score from day one. I’m not grading or testing them in any way; it’s about trusting them right from the get-go.
As life unfolds, people reveal their true colors to me, showing whether they’re willing to invest their full selves and earn my trust for the long haul. But let’s face it, few stay at 100%. Some exit for no reason, hurting or disappointing me, whether intentionally or not. It’s just human nature.
We expect too much from cashiers or waiters to show courtesy and politeness. We expect strangers to respect personal space, safety, and security in unfamiliar places. We expect love, support, and communication from our loved ones, trustworthiness from our friends, professionalism from our coworkers, and fairness from teachers guiding our children.
The same goes both ways. We can enter someone’s life, they trust us completely, and we might unintentionally betray that trust, needing forgiveness.
Some things aren’t easy to forgive and forget, so sometimes it’s easier to just walk away.
I reached a point where I meet these expectations somewhere in the middle. It’s important not to assume things will be rainbows and butterflies, but also not to be so negative.
Let things be and let whatever needs to happen, happen. Life is better that way.
Even when expectations lead to disappointment, each experience teaches us valuable lessons that contribute to our personal development.
Thank you Sahil Patel for reminding us that hope is not just a feeling, but a creative art form demanding resilience in believing in brighter tomorrows.
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