It is hard to believe the unprecedented year 2020 has come to a close. While things have certainly changed, people still develop expectations about future events. However, many people see the new year as a means to refresh a “frozen browser”. Change does not come overnight. View 2021 as a timeline for change. You will morph into the person you want to be as the days go by.
On that note, here are several tips to help you manage your life expectations.
LIFE HAS MEANING
Viktor Frankl was an Austrian Holocaust survivor, a neurologist, a psychiatrist, a philosopher and an author. He founded Logotherapy, which looks at the beauty in suffering. He believes in man’s dedicated search for meaning. Defining what matters to you can help you manage your expectations. Working at home or being trapped in your own space can make you feel helpless. It helps to adapt to the situation that you are in. Humans are incredibly resilient and challenging circumstances such as the pandemic help as foster and nurture our relationships. Focus on that.
WORK RELATIONSHIPS TAKE TIME
If you have a specific list of expectations about how your co-workers should respond or behave around you, your work relationships will suffer. I am not referring to acceptable (e.g., meeting the deadlines) and unacceptable behaviors (e.g., sexual harassment) here. Instead, you must not expect the person to behave a certain way just because you desire them to. For instance, you cannot expect your co-worker who is not a “morning person” to greet you with a cheerful high-five every morning. You will be disappointed. Accept your co-workers as they are.
STAY IN THE MOMENT
Sports Psychology highlights that the body is capable of far more than what we believe. Athletes who applied Sports Psychology to their routines have practiced visualization for success. It is good to visualize a pleasant future, but being anxious about the future can diminish your well-being. Avoid contemplating about what the future effects of the pandemic. Instead, do your best to stay in the moment. Try meditation. Mindful meditation is the process of actively and openly observing one’s physical, mental, and emotional experiences.
SET SMALL TREATS
Open your 2021 calendar and set your monthly goals. Accomplishing each goal entails getting a small treat. As many of our plans for the year have been postponed, you may allow each family member to choose a monthly treat to boost their motivation.
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED
Year 2020 taught us that not everything goes as planned. Instead of hitching your wagon to the assumptions of the future, re-direct your mind to the present moment. It takes self-acceptance, patience, and will to manage your expectations.
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What are your financial expectations for year 2021? Be flexible enough to embrace life’s surprises!