Expectations.

The theme of expectations has been coming up for me recently.

Not just the expectations we carry from others, but the many expectations we place upon ourselves.

Growing up, I had a very specific idea of what I expected my adult life to look like.

I would trade in my dELiA*s patchwork jeans for slacks. Only drink Cosmopolitans (again, thanks SATC). And enjoy life as a marine biologist residing in a Scottish castle with my husband, Justin Timberlake.
Of course, my reality is far from this fantasy life – it’s even better (although I wouldn’t mind the castle bit!).

But had I remained fixated on these expectations, it would have stunted my growth. I wouldn’t have discovered my passion and talent for writing, my incredible partner, sobriety, or my love for sweatpants, among many other things.

Today's prompt for the 21 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 writing challenge explores what it feels like to release expectations surrounding your writing practice. To write without judgment.

Doing so gives you the space to write whatever comes to mind rather than adhering to a preconceived idea of what you’d like to fill the page with. This invites creative ideas to the surface - things you never would have expected, And this notion can be applied to other areas of life.

Releasing expectations doesn’t mean abandoning all goals or ambition.
Instead, it invites you to approach each experience with a fresh perspective.

Pivot toward things that pique your interest.
Appreciate each moment.
And surrender to uncertainty.

There are so many unexpectedly delightful ideas brewing within you, just waiting to be discovered.

“𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦.” -Mandy Hale