Expectations vs Reality

None of us likes to feel frustrated, right?

I wanted to share something that’s helped me reduce frustration in my life. I realized I often got frustrated when my expectations were one thing, but reality was something completely different. Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m not suggesting we should lower our expectations in every situation, but I have found that, in certain instances, it really does help.

Let me explain. This week, my husband and I did something a little crazy—we spontaneously traveled to Mexico. Why? Well, I had some old crowns, and one of them fell out. My husband had dental issues, too, and after doing some research, we realized we could save a lot of money if we went to Mexico for dental work. We picked a city known as “Molar City” because so many people go there for dental care, and we found a dentist we trusted.

While we were there, one of us was in a dental chair for most of the day. It definitely wasn’t a “vacation”, but we tried to make the best of it, and had a few laughs during the process.

If I had gone into this trip expecting beautiful resorts, hours of relaxation, amazing food, and sightseeing, I would’ve been extremely frustrated. But here’s the thing: I wasn’t frustrated because my expectations were more in line with reality. Every day, we braced ourselves for some uncomfortable dental work, then tried to eat a little food and went back to the very small hotel room.

This shift in expectations has also really helped me in relationships. I’m not saying we should ever let people treat us poorly or take us for granted, but I’ve learned that no one can perfectly meet my needs all the time. No one can know exactly what my heart longs for in every moment, nor can they always say the right thing or love me in just the right way. If I expected my husband, son, or friends to always meet those needs perfectly, I’d end up frustrated all the time.

About 20 years ago, God made it clear to me that He’s the only one who truly knows exactly what I need and loves me perfectly. Everyone else, well, they’re human – and that’s OK.

So, let me ask you: is there an area of your life where you might need to adjust your expectations? I’m not saying that you shouldn’t set goals for yourself, but could it be that there are some expectations you need to reexamine?

PS: All dental work went well, and our mouths are just about recovered.