expectations

Expectations. No... not great ones... just the little ones along the way that we all have of people and ourselves in our everyday lives.... these little things we hoped and wished people would say or do.... little things that couldn't POSSIBLY get us all worked up and upset..... but the truth is.. THEY DO.

So often I find myself being "selfless" or "self-sacrificial", or at least that's what people on the outside see and think... that i'm doing many things and giving up many things for the those i love.... am i really? OR.. am i truly just being SELFISH? more often than not, we do things for others expecting something in return... doing something, putting in lots of effort, just so we may hear someone say "Good job!"... or going out of our way just so we may spend just that little bit more time with someone that means a whole lot to us... and hoping, just hoping... that maybe that little bit more time was as appreciated and treasured by that someone.........

and don't we all get just that WEE bit disappointed... when that "Good job!" or even any acknowledgement of appreciation, doesn't come our way... at least.... not in the way we imagined it would...

then comes the greater expectation.... not of praise or acknowledgement... something slightly bigger.... that people do the same for us. that someone works just as hard on something as we have.... be it projects, assignments, relationships.... and with a greater (however slightly) expectation comes, invariably,... a greater disappointment when it fails to take place......

SO. the solution is a simple one.. no? just... don't expect anything at all! do things YOU wanna do.... whenever YOU want to... if you wanna reorganise your timetable for the week, or take time off other important things like work and friends, just for that little bit of extra time spent with some people, go ahead and do it! do whatever it is that YOU want to...... just don't expect it to be done FOR YOUR SAKE.... don't even expect your efforts to be recognised....... BECAUSE YOU WERE HAPPY DOING IT ALL.... and that's reward enough... and if the reciprocation and recognition comes your way, that's a bonus... that's all it is.. a bonus..

easier said than done.