January 1st, 2013: Lower Your Expectations
Leave a commentJanuary 1, 2013 by hookershorde
January 1st, 2013 – Lower Your Expectations
The first day of a new year is filled with optimism and hope, therefore, it may seem counterintuitive to suggest lowering your expectations. 2012, and all of the preceding years, taught me that the lower my expectations, the happier I am.
Gretchen Rubin, the author of The Happiness Project, suggests that lower expectations allow for easier satisfaction. However, if you have higher expectations, you work harder and achieve more in the long run.
Thinking about satisfaction, I’m reminded of what Carrie Fisher said, “the only problem with instant gratification is that it takes too damn long.”
Therefore, I think it is a delicate balance between dreaming big and enjoying the ride. For example, I hate running. Really. I hate running. If I set a goal to run a mile and made it a block, I’d be disappointed. But, if I set a goal to run a block and keep running, I feel like an Olympian ascending the podium.
The 2012 holiday season was short. It started on Saturday, December 22nd and will end today.
My expectations were low. Because I woke up each day with low expectations, every day was exciting and bright.
But, back to having higher expectations and goals. . .goals should move. . . goals should change. As one goal is met, a new one is set. Lower expectations that are easily met combined with lofty life altering goals is a recipe for happiness.
