Lower Your Expectations

Current Weight: 220 lbs.
Body Fat: 30.2%
Change 17: Reduce Stress Pt. 3

A leading cause of frustration with other people, causing anger and undue stress, is having unrealistic expectations of them. As much as many of us would like to, we cannot control the actions of other people. We do, however, create unrealistic expectations of them, especially when we ask them for something.

Whether they mean to or not, people will let you down. No one can possible know exactly what you are thinking or expecting, and even if you tell them explicitly they still may not get it, or want to get it. Other people will be late, they won't do what you ask, they won't say what you want them to say. Expecting otherwise will lead you to become upset, when you should have known that at sometime everyone is going to fall short of your expectations.

Knowing and accepting that no one is infallible will help you adjust to when you are let down, and not allow it to affect you more than it should. Don't stop asking of others, but expect them to fail and when they do you won't be angered, and when they don't, you can be pleasantly surprised.