Not wanting to have an expectation, is also an expectation
May 31, 2022
There’s a myth we all believe very strongly and hardly ever act on it and that is we should not expect anything from anyone in life. But really, does having no expectations the answer?
Before further discussing that point, first, let us see what “Expectations” really are. Expectations are a strong belief that something will happen or be the case.
Expectations are one of our core survival instincts. You see, if we do not expect to wake up in the morning, we wouldn’t earn the money to buy the groceries that is running out. Or fix the sink, that is leaking out. Our brain predicts and analyses our every single move, based on our experiences and outcomes, when we eat a healthy meal, we expect to stay healthy, we want to go to a good college because we expect that it might lead us to a good life.
Expectations are not our enemy, because it resides deep in us, and are inevitable to avoid. It helps us to live, judge, and carry on with our daily tasks. What we must be focusing on is how to deal with ourselves, when things don’t go the way we plan. We must learn and let ourselves feel the unpleasant feeling of rejection and failure. Keep in mind, that everything might not go our way, but be hopeful for a positive outcome. Because in the end, if we force ourselves to not expect anything then how is it much different than the expectation itself.
Zainab Muhammad Aslam | BSc Creative Computing
