Great Expectations
I just got back from Disney World in Florida. What a great vacation spot. There were more people there than I expected for the first week in December, but the lines for most things were very short. It was also unseasonably cold. I had to scrape my windshield – in Florida. Still, it was a great vacation.
Life is often incongruent with our expectations. For instance, I expected it to be warm in Florida in December. The average temperature is 74 degrees. Last week the average temperature was 50 degrees. Reality did not match my expectation. It was disappointing. I wanted to be warm and tan, but I had a great time anyway. I simply had to adjust my expectations and buy some warmer clothing.
During this time of year many of you have very well developed expectations of what the holidays should be. You have built up a vision in your mind of how everyone will act and what the events will be like. You have expectations about how much you can buy, wrap and bake. You create Martha Stewart expectations for your decorating and entertaining - while forgetting she has a large staff helping her. And inevitably, you are disappointed at the reality of the holidays and blame yourself when they don’t live up to your vision.
This year, be gentle with yourself. Have realistic expectations about what these next few weeks really can be. Be flexible when you can. Look for quiet, peaceful or joyful moments that you didn’t expect and be happy to experience them. Don’t set your expectations so high that you cannot possibly reach them. Have a great holiday season and enjoy the experiences they bring your way!
See you in the New Year!
Tracy
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Tracy Knofla
High Impact Training
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