What are you expecting?

“There are two ways to be happy: improve your reality, or lower your expectations.” ~ Jodi Picoult

Today’s quote really got me thinking. Over the past year, I’ve learned too many things that have deeply disappointed me. And while I’m usually an optimist, some of these things have made me doubt my faith in humanity and made me anxious about the future. You too?

Part of the problem is that most of us are consuming more “news” than we can thoughtfully process and systematically fact-check. (Thanks, social media.) No wonder so many people fall under the dark spell of misinformation and conspiracy theories.

So what does this have to do with expectations and happiness?

More often than not, my biggest hurts and disappointments, generally speaking, are the result of my high expectations. While today’s quote implies that one path to happiness is to “lower your expectations,” there are times when I think it’s irresponsible to do that.

Nobody should keep accepting less than they deserve — whether we’re talking about inferior quality in the products we purchase or abusive treatment from relatives, friends, or coworkers.

So, I’m working harder to improve my reality. I still want to believe that when you expect the best and reach for it, you’ll often get it.~CL