In the past week I got some news that in the grand scheme of things was not a big deal, but in the moment felt like a blow to my ego. I was distraught and frustrated, questioning the choices I have been making and whether or not what I have been doing is enough. What does that even mean, being enough? If we’re constantly attempting to be something that we’re not, when are we living in the moment? When are we authentically happy? When is enough, enough?
It is good to have expectations to drive and motivate you, encourage you to grow, expand your mind, and live a large life full of love and possibility. But, if your expectations begin to interfere with the day to day enjoyment of the life you are currently living (not the one you hope to live one day), it will be very hard to move into the new spaces that you hope to create for yourself.
So, how do we manage our expectations? Well, yoga is helpful. Creating a simple practice that grounds you and honors the moment can be very powerful. Having friends and
family who remind you that you are good enough is helpful. And sometimes, Facebook is helpful. Seriously. I was scrolling through my news feed when an article a friend posted by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, caught my attention. The article is directed towards women, but it is absolutely relevant for men; both for themselves and to support the women they love.
Gilbert writes, “Can we draft a joint resolution to drop the crazy-making expectation that we must all be perfect friends and perfect mothers and perfect workers and perfect lovers with perfect bodies who dedicate ourselves to charity and grow our own organic vegetables, at the same time that we run corporations and stand on our heads while playing the guitar with our feet?” Her advice, “Let's just anticipate that we (all of us) will disappoint ourselves somehow. Go ahead and let it happen...just march on.”
Read the full article here: http://huff.to/1yra16Z
Musical Inspiration (all on Spotify):
Follow the Sun by Xavier Rudd
Everything by Ben Howard
Sri Argala Stotram (Selected Verses)/Show me Love by Krishna Das
It is good to have expectations to drive and motivate you, encourage you to grow, expand your mind, and live a large life full of love and possibility. But, if your expectations begin to interfere with the day to day enjoyment of the life you are currently living (not the one you hope to live one day), it will be very hard to move into the new spaces that you hope to create for yourself.
So, how do we manage our expectations? Well, yoga is helpful. Creating a simple practice that grounds you and honors the moment can be very powerful. Having friends and
family who remind you that you are good enough is helpful. And sometimes, Facebook is helpful. Seriously. I was scrolling through my news feed when an article a friend posted by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, caught my attention. The article is directed towards women, but it is absolutely relevant for men; both for themselves and to support the women they love.
Gilbert writes, “Can we draft a joint resolution to drop the crazy-making expectation that we must all be perfect friends and perfect mothers and perfect workers and perfect lovers with perfect bodies who dedicate ourselves to charity and grow our own organic vegetables, at the same time that we run corporations and stand on our heads while playing the guitar with our feet?” Her advice, “Let's just anticipate that we (all of us) will disappoint ourselves somehow. Go ahead and let it happen...just march on.”
Read the full article here: http://huff.to/1yra16Z
Musical Inspiration (all on Spotify):
Follow the Sun by Xavier Rudd
Everything by Ben Howard
Sri Argala Stotram (Selected Verses)/Show me Love by Krishna Das