Your mother asks, “When are you going to have a second child?”
Your boss demands that you finish the project by tomorrow because, after all, you can do it.
Your co-worker tells you the outfit you are wearing really is not appropriate for the office.
Your partner says, “You are such a great cook, I’d like my parents to come over this weekend for one of your small plates dinners.”
“Aye Yai Yai! That really hurt,” is what you may be feeling.
Notice Your Reaction
Yes, you can simmer with your resentment or try to comply with the demands to prove you are good enough. But, aren’t you tired of all of this?
You can’t change other people, but you can change how you react to them. You don’t have to live up to their expectations.
And you don’t have to let those expectations bury themselves inside you. It’s as if you catch their view of you like you catch the flu. It takes up residence within you, without you really wanting it.
What Are You Saying to Yourself
Are you saying, “I really care about what others are telling me I should be doing.”
Or are you saying, “I’ll do what they want because I want them to approve of me.”
Change that Thought
How would you feel if you said this instead of what you said to yourself? “I don’t have to live up to what they expect of me.”
Feeling any better? You may even find they still approve of you even if you don’t change for them. Furthermore, you don’t have to let their expectations simmer inside of you. Try it now.
To explore more of the expectations others may have of you, read Escaping Expectations, available in all online bookstores.
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