Managing Expectations: Finding a Balance Between Idealism and Realism
Expectations in relationships are like two sides of one coin; they can either bring people together or drive them apart. Every time individuals initiate romantic relationships, friendships or engage with their families they carry around certain unseen luggage which contains hope, fear, dream and supposition among others. Such expectations determine how we interact with others and react when reality does not follow our script. I used to think that lowering expectations was equivalent to accepting mediocrity – a compromise on my dreams in life. It wasn’t until later when some were not honored that I experienced real disappointment culminating into resentment. In actual sense, these anticipated outcomes may destroy relationships quietly if left unchecked.
