The other day while wasting WAY too much of my work day perusing Pinterest, I came across the following quote:
"Sometime we expect more from others because we would be willing to do that much for them."It hit me. It hit me like a ton of bricks. It has manifested itself in so many aspects of my life lately. I've been trying to devote more of my time to introspection and I find myself reciting this quote in my head over and over.
I think a lot of character traits are dual-hatted -- that is, both a blessing and a curse. One of my most prominent traits is that I am emotion-driven. I feel things to the core. I also have very high expectations for myself in my personal and professional life. Unfortunately, because I set the bar so high for myself I'm often setting it high for everyone around me as well. I expect things of them that I expect from myself. How often am I exceeding my own expectations? Very rarely. And, the same is true for others. The result is disappointment all around me and for someone who so often succumbs to her own emotions I get stuck in the disappointment. I think one of my major goals in the new year is to set realistic expectations based on history and personal behavior for myself and others.
I know that for me it will mean adjusting my expectations of coworkers in the workplace and compartmentalizing a number of relationships in my personal life. I know I'm not going to wake up one day and be able to think more clearly and "run" my life based more on logic and thought than on emotions. And, I don't want to change that about myself because it's not worth giving up the feelings of the high highs to avoid the low lows. I accept that I'll continue the ride on my emotional roller coaster of a life, but, as best I can I plan to lay the tracks in the direction of positive thoughts and feelings. It surely won't be easy but I'm looking forward to a more positive outlook...to celebrating and appreciating successes and victories instead of narrowing in on things that just don't measure up.
How about all of you? Do you struggle with aspects of your personality? Any "new year, new you" resolutions? Pin It Now!
Struggle with aspects of my personality? Really? I'm pretty much perfect, and you know it! HAHA right. I struggle with almost all of my personality. I think I'm similar to you, but in a slightly different way, and rather than spout about it here, I'm going to let this prompt a blog post for me! When I get around to it that is...
ReplyDeletewell said, Lulu! I am much like you in this aspect. I expect quite a b it from my family and friends but am almost always disappointed because they fall short of my expectations. Then I go round and tounnd with 'why so I expect that much from them?' and ultimately, the answer is 'because I do it for them'. I go out of my way for people and expect the same, but these expectations almost always leave me wishing I had better friends. I feel that I am not was 'worthy' to them because they dont reciprocate the way I do, and then that is a self hating cycle- what a mess! I feel ya. I am working on this aspect of my personality and hope to achieve a sense of balance and reality in my excpectations of self and others.... good luck with this- i think it is a journey that will be worthwhile! <3
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