Expectations
The beliefs, anticipation, or strong beliefs that specify events. Behaviors or outcomes will happen in the future. I have seen this word a few times last week, either in passing or just popping up in a song or on my feed.
This word is so deep in meaning, and here is why: more often than not, we feel the need to live up to, or try to exceed, others' expectations of us.
I watched M for years try to live up to his family's high expectations of him to the point that he lost who he was, and is still struggling to fulfill these expectations.
I also, for years, felt I was competing with my own family because of the expectations set by a certain group of family members.
I still feel the need to meet expectations, only now those expectations are the ones I've set for myself.
I refuse to keep going through life trying to live up to others' expectations and then begin to feel less than because I didn't meet them.
I watched M basically worry himself to death trying to live up to the expectations set by a woman who compared her children to others, and in the end, M got the short end of the stick.
I know that so many of us have had the same thing happen to us, either with our family or friends.
I want the world to know that nothing is worth your peace, and we do not live on other people's expectations of us.
We shine despite the high expectations set by others, keep your head high, and know you are not defined by others' expectations.
