Our expectations are a type of habit. For example, every morning when you start your morning routine, you probably expect your faucet to run. It is a habit that is ingrained in your mind, when you turn the handle, water comes out. These expectations streamline our life, we can swiftly move through our morning because we can predict the running water will be there to aid us through our routine. We don’t need to wake up early just in case we might need to fetch water from the river. All that is very good and few of us would ever consider trading it. Let’s also look at the downside. The downside is diminished appreciation in those everyday moments when water comes out of the tap. Our expectation, our habit of knowing water will be readily available can create a disconnect from our gratitude for it.
If we want to experience life as a young child would, we would need very few expectations, perhaps none. The wonder we so admire in them comes from a lack of habits, a lack of expectations. They are experiencing life’s events for the first time and they pause and are amazed.
Now, we are not recommending we all start walking around like ga-ga eyed babies gasping at each thing as we make our commute to work, but rather reminding ourselves that our expectations are ripping us off from moments of pure joy, happiness, and wonder. What if every single day we could feel a tenth of the appreciation that we feel when lost electricity gets restored?
To noticing our expectations
