
Expectations.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENTWELLNESSIDENTITY


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 β itβs even better (although I wouldnβt mind the castle bit!).
But had I remained fixated on these expectations, it would have stunted my growth. I wouldnβt 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 ππ’πΊπ΄ π΅π° ππ€π΅πͺπ·π’π΅π¦ π π°πΆπ³ ππ―π―π¦π³ ππ³π¦π’π΅πͺπ·π¦ 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 youβd 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 doesnβt 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.
βππ©π¦π― πΊπ°πΆ π³π¦ππ¦π’π΄π¦ π¦πΉπ±π¦π€π΅π’π΅πͺπ°π―π΄, πΊπ°πΆ π’π³π¦ π§π³π¦π¦ π΅π° π¦π―π«π°πΊ π΅π©πͺπ―π¨π΄ π§π°π³ πΈπ©π’π΅ π΅π©π¦πΊ π’π³π¦ πͺπ―π΄π΅π¦π’π₯ π°π§ πΈπ©π’π΅ πΊπ°πΆ π΅π©πͺπ―π¬ π΅π©π¦πΊ π΄π©π°πΆππ₯ π£π¦.β -Mandy Hale