Journey of Self Discovery
Unraveling the classic British phrase meant to caution passengers traveling on the tube reveals a metaphor which can be translated to a life lesson. A wake up call to develop awareness to navigate the gulf between expectation and reality. Facing our fears, staring down the abyss before forging a bridge. Educating, empowering and enlightening.
Minding the gap between our hopes and truths is an onerous process. Learning to improve awareness, leaning into flexibility, and resilience, we can begin to navigate this breach more effectively. Remember, it's not about eliminating the gap entirely, but learning to channel it more effectively.
Dear reader, have you ever felt that twinge of disappointment when things don't go quite as you imagined? We've all been there. Our minds are wonderful storytellers, often crafting elaborate expectations without us even realizing it. Today, let's embark on a gentle journey of self-discovery together, exploring ways to uncover those sneaky unconscious expectations that can sometimes trip us up.
Tuning in to Our Hearts
Let’s take a moment to tune into our emotions. Those feelings of frustration, disappointment, or even anger? They're not just random; they're often signposts pointing to expectations we didn't even know we had. Next time you feel a strong emotion bubbling up, pause and ask yourself, "What did I expect to happen here?" You might be surprised by what you uncover.
We all carry stories from our past – some empowering, some limiting. These stories shape our expectations in ways we might not realize. Let’s take a moment to reflect on your own journey. What experiences have shaped how we view the world? Delving into our minds with open minded curiosity and compassion will guide us down our own unique path. One of my favorite tools for uncovering hidden expectations is what I call the "Hmmm..." moment. When something surprises me– whether it's a person's behavior or an unexpected outcome – pause and say, "Hmmm..." This simple act creates space for curiosity rather than judgment, allowing one to explore what expectation might have been hiding beneath the surface.
Adding more to the mix are external influences from social media, peer groups, family and friends load up on our expectations. Online depictions of lifestyles, relationships, accomplishments set unreal goalposts often leading to disappointment and anxiety. Comparison can destroy calm.
Avoid falling into a trap
These habits spill over at work as much in our personal daily life. Let’s explore some tools to avoid tumbling into traps of expectations versus reality.
Setting realistic beliefs: periodically subjecting our expectations to a reality check and accordingly adjusting them to foster a healthier, emotional mental state. Cultivating adaptability: Being open to changing circumstances and becoming flexible and amiable to life’s unpredictable situations. Learning from disappointments: Failures are teaching moments, reflecting and draw strength from them, so we can rally and gather strength and move on with renewed understanding. Journaling, meditating and reflection are all additional trappings that can shore up our toolkit so we can be present and productive. Do you agree my readers that if we calm our minds, we can change our Lives? Lets' take an oath to Mind the Gap.
We are stronger together
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