Great Expectations equal possibility
Musings on Expectations – You have to be in it to win it!
The Burghley Battle Proms and a friend prompting thoughts about Expectations …. Bare with me – there is a tenuous link here somewhere ….
As we chatted over delicious coffee and luscious lemon cake in the local flower shop after the jubilation of the Olympic flame passing through the village I excitedly shared with a friend how I’d just received an email to say I had won two tickets for Battle Proms in the Park and was all giddy with gratitude and appreciation even though I didn’t really know what it involved.
“Oh”, she whimpered, “give me some of your luck, I never win anything”. And I responded, “Do you ever enter anything?” “No”. “Well”, says I, “You have to be in it to win it. Expectation and being open to possibilities is everything”
Which got me to thinking about expectations and taking action.
How often do we whine or moan and groan that things don’t happen for us, that it’s always other people who have all the luck? Yet we never put ourselves ‘out there’, we don’t have expectations, or when we do, we set them so low we easily hit the target or figure that if we aim high we set ourselves up for disappointment. Either way we stay within the discomfort of our comfort zone. Disappointment could be seen as the difference between expectations and reality and can be the breeding ground for resentment and apathy.
Michaelangelo said “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aims too high and falling short: but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark!
So many of us never reach our potential because of our self doubt, we can’t or daren’t take action – even something simple like entering a free competition on line because of an “I could never win it anyway” attitude, or “there must be a catch”.
I say, “What about Positive Expectation?” What would it feel like to have enough faith to even dip our toe in the water, to experience a level of personal success and achievement we never knew was possible? I’m not necessarily talking about work or external markers, I’m referring to the private, personal triumphs like finding a place inside where we can feel good about ourselves, acknowledge our strengths and values and appreciate who we are – to find our voice, as women, rather than mother, sister, daughter, career woman, chauffeur, head cook and bottle washer – you get the gist of where I’m going with this?
It’s my personal belief that Expectations are the breeding ground for Miracles.
However, to achieve our expectations, to acknowledge our visions, and to launch our dreams we must first take action: we must have a degree of faith and commitment in ourselves, our abilities, and the world and for some that requires a helping hand. We may look for the support of a buddy, or a group of like minded beings, or it maybe the unprecedented support available in a mentoring relationship. Whichever path we choose it begins with the seeds of recognition of our innate possibilities. Challenging ourselves is necessary for growth, to get out of our comfort zones and to hear the whispers our hopes and dreams, and to feel that spark of joy within.
So I guess my message for the week is – Take a Chance, you never know where it might lead you, and remember the wisdom of the old adage, ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained!’
“You’ve got to contemplate yourself as already being surrounded by the circumstances you wish to create.” Wayne Dyer
“Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you’ll land amongst the stars” – Les Brown
What would you like to take a chance on to enhance the possibilities in your life?
How are you going to play ‘The Game of Life?