I have a little sign on my wall – Expect Great Things…and Great Things Will Happen.
It’s a great reminder for me to stay positive, focusing on all the good I have and would love to have in my life.

In the past, I never thought I was one who had a lot of expectations – I was more of a “take it as it comes” type.

But recently I realized I’m actually an expectation-setting machine. It seems I have expectations about nearly everything! Oh, it doesn’t usually show up like “I expect this thing to happen.” It’s more the idea I know how things are supposed to be. From the way the company should package my protein powder to the FACT that Trader Joe’s should carry those dark chocolate oranges all year round. Don’t even get me started on the way people drive!! And, those are just the teeny-tiny annoyances!

So many shoulds! Now, I’ve been around personal development for well over 40 years. (YIKES) And I know that the word should is a sign of trouble in my thinking. I do try to be aware of it when I speak it…but what about all the times I’m THINKING it, not really aware…like it’s part of my operating system, running silently, sneakily in the background.

Do I even know what’s best?

Because, really, as much as I like to think I know what’s best for me, sometimes I don’t really have a clue! I like to remind myself that if I’d had MY way, I would have married Sam, the man I was sure was my soulmate. When we broke up I was devastated. Couldn’t eat. Couldn’t sleep – for weeks! But several years later, Sam wound up getting an extremely aggressive form of early-onset dementia and died fairly young.  Evidently (and gratefully) there was another plan for me – and that marriage wasn’t a part of it.

What I’ve learned – and continue to learn – is that it really does help me to expect great things, as long as I remember to stay open to life’s twists and turns – and even heartbreaks. Trusting that good things WILL happen. Maybe not in my time or in the way I plan on them, but for my highest good.

Are there things in your life that, at the time troubled you, but in retrospect, you can see were for your higher good? Or things that you haven’t quite been able to see the good in yet? Let’s talk about them!