Lately, I’ve been thinking about expectations and expecting great things to happen in our lives.

Not wanting, hoping or wishing for these things, but expecting them.

Last weekend, I got to hang out with my goddaughter, Bailey, and second cousin, Aiden, two of the sweetest, smartest and cutest toddlers I’ve ever met. (Yes, I may be a bit biased. 😉 )

As I watered plants with a slightly wobbly-walking Bailey, and played piano with Aiden (his first time touching the keys!), it was crystal clear these little kiddies had something going on for them that I, along with many of us, have lost hold of.

They had high hopes and positive expectations.

When Bailey stood up she expected to walk.

When Aiden tried to climb a tree he expected he could.

When they put their hearts and minds to something they desired they expected to see positive results.

Maybe it wouldn’t happen on the first try, but eventually, they both knew.

Observing Bailey and Aiden I wondered at what point did so many of us stop expecting great things to happen in our lives?

At what point did we stop believing they would happen without a shadow of a doubt?

Not wanting, wishing or hoping, but whole-heartedly expecting them.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never stopped expecting water to flow when I turn the handle on the sink or lights to shine when I flip a switch.

But somewhere along the course of life too many of us have gone from toddlers and even teenagers expecting to get whatever we wanted out of life, to Murphy’s Law cynics gravitating toward the old adage, “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.”

People often say if you go into a situation with low expectations you’ll almost always be pleasantly surprised.

I get why we do it. None of us enjoy being disappointed and low expectations in a way protect us.

But, setting the bar low is no way to secure a happy life. In fact, it’s downright dangerous.

Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”

Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you can’t, either way you’re right.”

Our thoughts and what we choose to believe have a great impact on our life experiences, more than we may even understand.

Not expecting great things to happen can actually keep them from happening.

Though we risk disappointment, we’re better off waking up every morning expecting to have a good day.

Waking up expecting things to go our way.

Think of something you desire for your life? It could be seeing your book published, marrying the person of your dreams, becoming a millionaire, living in another country, anything you’d like to experience.

Try saying to yourself, “I hope to ______________________.”

Now, say, “I expect to _________________.”

Do you feel the difference in wanting/hoping/wishing for something versus expecting it?

We don’t have to know exactly how or when what we desire will come into fruition, but we must continue to expect it will.

What’s true about toddlers across-the-board is they don’t let disappointments and set-backs stop them.

If they fall down when taking a step (and they all do and we did too!) it doesn’t stop them from getting up and trying again.

If you, like I have at times, stopped expecting great things to happen in the big picture of your life it’s time to call-on your inner child and approach each day with high hopes and positive expectations.

It’s time to shake off past disappointments and start expecting dreams to come true and miracles to take place.

Each and every one of us at one point expected to walk, and now we can.

Why not now expect to soar?

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Emily Florence

 

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