84: How Managing Expectations Unlocks True Happiness (Archive)

Countless mornings began with the promise of a perfect day, only to crumble into a nightmare a few hours later. I'm sure you've experienced the same—the transient nature of happiness leaving you yearning for a solution to the perpetual cycle of joy and disappointment.

In my quest for a remedy, I stumbled upon a profound realization: I was the architect of my own happiness's demise. It might seem implausible, but delving into the intricacies, I discovered that we often unwittingly sabotage our joy. The culprit? Expectations—both from ourselves and others. When these expectations remain unmet, they morph into disappointment, becoming the silent assassins of our happiness.

The moment this revelation dawned on me, the trajectory of my life shifted positively, transforming me into a much happier individual.

1. Take Control of Your Happiness: Embrace newfound control over your happiness.

2. Empowerment: Feel a positive sense of empowerment by taking charge of your happiness instead of relinquishing control to external factors.

3. Increased Contentment: Find joy in the simplicity of everything around you.

4. Resilience: Develop resilience against external influences, bolstering productivity, relationships, work, mental health, and mood.

5. Perceived Perfection: Life starts to feel perfect in its imperfections.

6. Acceptance: Cultivate a more accepting attitude toward everything, relinquishing the need for excessive control.

7. Appreciation for Small Things: Rediscover happiness in small, everyday occurrences.

1. List Expectations: Jot down a detailed list of expectations from yourself and those around you.

2. Realistic vs. Non-Realistic: Categorize expectations into "realistic" and "non-realistic." Weed out the non-realistic ones, leaving you with a refined list.

3. Cut Non-Realistic Expectations: Eliminate unrealistic expectations, leaving you with either zero expectations or a set of achievable, realistic ones.

[Book] Solve for Happy by Mo Gawdat

Expectation is the root of all heartache. - William Shakespeare

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