Emotional Coziness
Finding ways to elevate your emotional coziness is just as important, if not more so, as creating a cozy environment in which to live. There are many ways you can learn to connect with your emotions, address negativity, increase positivity, and work through any feelings that aren’t helping your greater good. To get started, first look at your attitude and decide if you’re in a cozy state of mind.
Change Your Attitude
Coziness is all about attitude. It’s the way you think to bring warmth, love, friendship, and a feeling of well-being into your home, at work, and in the way you live. If you’re not in the right frame of mind, then that warm, fuzzy feeling you’re looking for and want to achieve may seem elusive at best. Changing your attitude can bring about deep transformations that can help you reach the levels of coziness you’re seeking. Changing your attitude happens when you change your perspective because things are no longer working the way they once were.
Have you ever been stuck in a rut? This happens when your attitude becomes one of compliance. You’re not motivated to make the changes that need to happen to get you out of the rut. Feeling stuck is the soul’s way to kick-start us into action and to keep us moving forward on our life path. If you’re not happy with the direction your life is taking and want to make changes, the first thing to do is to look at your attitude. The power is within you to change the way you think about things, to see situations in a different light, and to view the perspectives of all involved instead of just assuming you know what is going on.
Changing your attitude means you’re letting go of negative emotions, fears, and indecision. It means you’re looking at the glass as half full and not half empty. You begin to notice possibilities in everything and opportunities pop up unexpectedly because you’re more aware. They were probably there all along, but it took the change in your attitude for you to see them.
When you transform spiritually, you’re changing from the inside out, which affects your beliefs, actions, and the way you react to situations. It is life altering and usually lasts for the rest of your life. Changing your attitude can be so dramatic that it can be considered a spiritual transformation. You may not have realized how wonderful your life could be if you’ve been living with an attitude of hate, avoidance, or rebellion. Once you change your attitude to one of love, facing situations, and cooperating with others, then a whole new world opens up to you.
Examining your attitude (try making a pro/con list and be truthful) can be very eye-opening, especially if you tend to have a negative outlook on life or realized that people are telling you “don’t be so negative” all of the time. Suppose you thought you were a kind person, but then you realize that you tend to snap at everyone around you. Once you recognize this, you can look at the situation to see why you’re out of balance. Upon further examination, you realize you’re not getting enough sleep at night, which is making you grouchy and short tempered, and you hadn’t even realized it until now. You fix this by going to sleep earlier, and soon you are feeling better. It takes a truthful and careful examination of your current attitude before you can make the changes necessary to make your life more cozy, relaxed, and enjoyable.
Negativity can hold you back from thinking in a clear, positive way. It can make you feel jealousy when there’s no reason to be jealous, or make you envious of what another person has. When you remove these negative emotions, then you’ve changed your attitude, which can alter the overall cozy factor within your life.
Empower the Self-Sabotaging You
Do you sabotage yourself? You may be doing so without even realizing it, so let’s go over some self-sabotaging behaviors and how you can empower yourself instead. When you set a goal, and then do everything you can to not achieve that goal, that’s self-sabotaging behavior. It’s doing things to make sure you fail. Sabotaging yourself is really defeating the purpose of trying to move forward on your path. It can be frustrating because quite often the person isn’t consciously trying to fail, so when they make a mistake that causes failure they come up with excuses, when being more aware could prevent the majority of self-sabotage.
Have you ever done something before thinking it through or considering what the consequences might be? Then after the fact wonder, why in the world did I do that? It’s fun to be impulsive and just take off for the beach for a day when you have no other responsibilities that you have to take care of, but it’s self-sabotaging to lose your temper over something at work and scream at your boss when you know that type of behavior could get you fired. Thinking before taking action can prevent self-sabotaging actions.
To empower yourself, start believing in yourself. You deserve to achieve anything you want in life. Make a conscious effort to be more aware of your actions and notice when you’re sabotaging your own best efforts. Once you’re able to notice when you’re sabotaging yourself, then it’s easier to make changes when you recognize your patterns of behavior. Focus on your intentions—the reasons behind your actions. If you pick a fight with someone because you know that will push them away, examine what your real intention is—are you afraid of getting too close to someone because you think you might get hurt? If you recognize your motivations and intentions are based in negativity, then changing to a positive mind-set will help to change them. If you’re not sure, write down and examine the thoughts you put on paper. Sometimes you can see motivation and intention clearer when you write it down.
As you work toward ridding yourself of self-sabotaging behavior, keep a record of the behaviors you want to change. Make notes when you experience the behavior and whether you were able to prevent yourself from falling into self-sabotage. Create a reward system for yourself so that each time you’re successful you do something nice for yourself. It might take a little time but you can eliminate self-sabotaging behavior from your life.
Working Your Way
through Frustration
It’s difficult to feel cozy when frustration is around. When you’re feeling frustrated, negativity is just having a field day with your energy. Everything you try to achieve fails, situations aren’t going the way you want them too, and there’s nothing you can do to change them. Everything that could go wrong does go wrong and things just seem to layer one on top of another until you feel like you’re going to explode. When that happens, you end up taking your frustrations out on others, usually those you love. That’s a horrible place to be, isn’t it? When frustration sneaks up on you, try to stop it in its tracks before it gets you tight within its clutches.
Everyone has experienced the irritation that goes along with frustration at some point in their lives. It’s human nature. It’s what you do with frustration when you feel it coming on that’s important. There’s no magic pill to get rid of it but you can stop it in its tracks by being aware of what’s happening and taking specific steps to work through it. Frustration usually happens because you’re having a bad day, but sometimes it happens when you’re experiencing change and growth on a personal or spiritual level. Sometimes these lessons can be extremely frustrating until we figure out what the lesson is, then there’s an aha moment of clarity that happens when you acknowledge your frustration and realize that the emotion is sending you a message that you need to address. Instead of letting frustration get the best of you, try looking at it as a gift. It’s something you have to work through, like a package you have to unwrap to find out what is inside. When you take this approach, you can turn any negativity you discover into positive energy to help lessen the frustrated feelings. You can also connect to sisu, the Finnish art of courage (see Chapter One) that allows you to embrace your inner strength and courage so you can move forward through difficulties or frustration and overcome them to be successful.
We can’t change the people who add to our frustration, but we can change our view of them. Instead of looking at the negative, look for the positive within the negative. If you’re constantly battling against things that are out of your control then it’s like paddling upstream against the current. What would happen if you simply turned around and went downstream with the water? Let’s take a look at a few ways you can overcome frustration.
One of my favorite ways to get rid of frustration is to do something that will allow me to disengage my mind for a little while and shift my focus and energy elsewhere. I usually head out to the barn to settle myself and consider the situation while I’m outside of the situation. You might decide to clean your house, work out, sort laundry, or whittle a piece of wood to get settled and resolve why you’re frustrated. If you’re frustrated about a mistake you’ve made, stop worrying about it, own it, and move on. Time spent worrying about what you could have or should have done differently isn’t going to change what happened. Lastly, think of something that is worse than what you’re experiencing. It will make your frustration seem like nothing in comparison, which makes it easier to work through. Taking the time to deal with frustrations when they start can prevent you from letting it overwhelm you.
Finding Forgiveness
When you are able to forgive someone for past wrongs then you are rising above negativity to a place of understanding while letting go of negative emotions such as anger, resentment, and hatred. I’m not talking about forced forgiveness—when you say you’re forgiving someone but in your heart you’re really not—because that doesn’t mean a thing. You’re just giving lip service to the words. Forced forgiveness can cut you off from acknowledging the truth of your soul, to seeing past the immediate action and acknowledging the person and their actions on a spiritual level.
To truly forgive, and mean it, is not always easy to do. It can be really, really hard to forgive and, in some instances, another person’s actions against you are unforgiveable. If you can forgive the unforgiveable, then that is a powerful leap in spiritual growth. Remember that, as spiritual beings, we all have life lessons to learn and we made agreements with other people before birth to help us learn these lessons. If they’re fulfilling their part, and we’re learning the lesson, then, at a soul level, we should try to find a way to forgive them. If we don’t, then this lesson will be repeated in a future lifetime until the lesson is learned and, ultimately, forgiveness given.
How do you forgive? Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as speaking the words. In order to forgive, you have to understand, become aware of, and acknowledge why you’re feeling hurt or wounded by another person’s actions before you can let go of the negative emotions you’re feeling because of them. It’s up to you to make yourself feel better about the situation and heal the hurt within, to pursue your own sense of well-being, and to find your inner happiness.
I love lists, so when I feel hurt by someone else’s actions, I write down what I’m feeling, why I feel hurt by what was said or done, and what I can do to change my own feelings or to clear the air. Sometimes it’s as simple as telling the person that they hurt me and why I feel that way. They might not even realize that their actions were hurtful. If they don’t respond in a reconciliatory manner to try to resolve the situation and start over with a clean slate, I acknowledge that fact and let it go. I know I can’t change other people and if I give the situation my best effort and don’t get a good response from the person in return, then there’s nothing else I can do about it. If it’s someone I have to continue to have in my life for whatever reasons, I find it in my heart to forgive their actions, even if I don’t tell them that I’ve forgiven them. I also do this same thing if I’ve messed up and need to forgive myself. I write it down, work it out, and find a way to make things right within me. Forgiving yourself can be just as difficult as forgiving others.
Looking out for your own well-being is not selfish. You deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. If you’re not okay with a situation, it’s your prerogative to stay away from the people involved who don’t have your best interests at heart. Forgiving them doesn’t mean you have to resolve things with them (especially if you tried and it didn’t work), nor does it mean accepting that their behavior is okay. If they hurt you, it’s not okay for you. It means that you stop taking the situation personally and know that it is the other person who needs to work on their own character.
You may be wondering what forgiveness has to do with living a cozy life. Consider this—if you’re upset, angry, or harboring feelings of revenge or resentment, then that’s on the other end of the spectrum from living in coziness. Living like this can eat away at you, making you sick and unhappy. Forgiveness means regaining the feeling of warmth and coziness within yourself by letting go of the negatives that are holding you back from the wonderful life you deserve to live.
Seek Out the Sacred
One of the ways you can bring more emotional coziness into your life is to seek out the sacred. This means to look for the things that feel sacred to you, not to someone else. Sacredness is different for everyone. Seeking out the sacred helps us to broaden our horizons, alter our perception, and see the spiritual connection, through mind, body, and spirit that we have within ourselves. It helps you attain a calm inner peacefulness, which makes it easier to analyze your emotions and bring about cozy feelings.
What makes your life sacred? What is deep within your soul essence that makes you extraordinary? When you connect with your own unique sacredness, it changes how you live and interact with others. Seeking out the sacred can be religious, then again it may not be. It could be spiritual wisdom, a connection to a place, being able to connect with the frequency of animals, helping those who are sick, or anything else that is important and meaningful to you on a soul level. Your connection to the divine, the value you place on your life, and what you do with that life are all parts of the sacred. To recognize the sacred in your life, the first thing you have to do is look for it. We often ignore the things that should take importance, even when they’re right in front of us. When we can become mindful and appreciative of these things, then that’s a huge step in finding the sacred because you’ve moved past the ordinary to recognize the extraordinary. This can be transformational. Let’s look at some examples. You might find it helpful to visit places that are considered sacred. There are sacred sites around the world and even in your backyard. Mountains, caves, springs, trees, rock formations, and bodies of water can have the title of a sacred site because of the earth energy that flows through the place. As a spiritual being, when you’re in a spiritual place, you can connect with it. You can also find something sacred in your relationships with others, and within yourself.
Seeking out the sacred can be life altering. It transforms your perception of life and the way you think about the moments you experience. It brings about a sense of being home and of feeling that all is well within yourself and the world. The sacred helps your subconscious mind become one with your spiritual being, so you find balance, peace, and serenity. As you become connected to the sacred, clear and balanced in mind and spirit, then the body follows. You’ll notice that without even purposefully trying, you start doing healthier things, get outside more, and take the time to walk and see the world around you. It’s a cycle that repeats, going deeper and deeper each time as you find the sacred and let it influence you.
While you’re seeking the sacred, don’t forget to look to the past to see where you’ve been, at the present to see where you are now, and toward the future to see where you’re going. The lessons you’ve already learned will help you recognize the sacred in your life right now. It is all around you, in every fiber of your being and every part of your life, if you’ll only choose to look and see it.
Generosity
Generosity—helping others when they need assistance—is a key component of cozy living. When you think of being generous, you might automatically think of donating money to a cause or helping someone out financially. Generosity is so much more than that. In fact, you can be generous without spending any money at all. You can be generous with your time or emotions, or you can show generosity by acting in a kind and unselfish way toward someone.
The act of being generous is not only beneficial to the person on the receiving end of your generosity, but it’s beneficial to you, too. People who are generous feel better about themselves because they were able to help someone out of the kindness of their heart without expecting anything in return. This in turn reduces the amount of stress we feel, which leads to better overall health both mentally and physically. Being generous enables us to connect to the part of our life’s purpose of helping others. Being generous enables us to feel a richer connection to others and to feel closer and more involved with someone, therefore deepening our relationships. It boosts our confidence and can turn that internal chatterbox in our mind from negative to positive.
Being a generous person means that you also should be willing to accept the generosity of others. If you’re always giving of yourself and never accepting what others want to do for you, then you’re out of balance and are preventing that person from experiencing the benefits of generosity from the viewpoint of the giver. Life is all about give and take to remain in balance.
Sharing your knowledge is a wonderful way to be generous. When you teach others the things you’ve learned in life or a new skill, then you’re also sharing your time with them and you’re offering your kindness, ultimately expanding their horizons by letting them learn from you. Sharing what you know doesn’t mean you’re a know-it-all, unless you come across that way, which is showing off, not being generous.
You can also donate your time or skills. If you know how to plan and organize events, then volunteer to host an event at the local community center. Maybe you’re a great tennis player who could teach beginners how to play the game. If you take generosity closer to home, maybe do something nice for your siblings or parents without being asked, like doing their chores or making dinner. Give compliments to people who seem to be having a bad day—it might just turn their day around.
Think about elderly people who can’t get around well, are housebound, or who live in a nursing home full time. Even if they have family come to visit, it’s always nice to meet new people. If you have an hour out of your week to go visit someone just to spend some time with them and see how they’re doing, that goes a long way in brightening up their day, especially if they seldom receive visitors.
It doesn’t matter how you decide to be generous, it just matters that you do it. Generosity doesn’t have a size limit. It can be as simple as a smile and as extravagant as you want to make it. Generosity should come from the heart and be given freely and willingly. You will make someone else feel good and you’ll feel good about yourself.
Try It Now Exercise
I just love surprises, don’t you? When you do the unexpected, you bring joy to other people. I’m not talking about jump-out-of-your-skin scare surprises that will make someone lose their mind. I’m talking about the cozy warmth of giving or receiving something you didn’t expect like a hug, going on an outing, or having takeout dinner when you’re too tired to cook. When you give when it’s not expected, the person on the receiving end may feel different emotions. They may feel a sense of relief if you just did for them something that they didn’t have the time to do and were worried about getting it finished, or they may feel thankfulness and joy.
Here are three examples of ways you can give when it’s not expected. You can choose to do one a day or make a point to go out and do all three in one day. How you give is up to you. This exercise is to get you started.
There’s a new trend going around that you can participate in that will surprise someone else with your unexpected gift. It’s becoming popular to pay for the person’s meal behind you in the drive-through at a fast food restaurant. I’ve even seen it happen in a regular restaurant and sandwich shop. I like the drive-through because the person can’t argue with you or refuse to accept your gift. You’ve already paid and driven away, so there’s nothing they can do. When this happens, there’s more likelihood that they’ll pay this unexpected gift forward by purchasing someone else’s meal for them in the future.
Another way to give when it’s unexpected is when you go to the store. Choose to park in the section that has the most people. Then, as you’re walking to the store, offer to take someone’s cart for them as you pass by. Usually you’ll be rewarded with a big smile and thank you because you’ve saved them from having to walk it back to the store. While you’re shopping, look for someone who may be struggling to reach something that is out of their reach but within yours and offer to get it for them. Start up a conversation with someone in line near you just to enjoy being sociable. Make your trip to the grocery store, or wherever you have to go shopping, one of being generous and kind. It’ll put a smile on your face and other people’s.
Have you ever missed someone that you haven’t seen in a while? I have and when I get that feeling I pick up the phone and call them to just catch up and to see how they’re doing. Calling unexpectedly and for no reason other than to find out how the other person is doing, and not talking all about yourself, is a way to give of yourself while reconnecting to the other person. A surprise visit is always fun too, but make sure ahead of time that the other person will be available when you plan to arrive. You don’t want to drive two hours to surprise someone only to find out that they’re on vacation for a week.
The more you give in unexpected ways, the more it becomes part of your everyday life. Reconnecting to your spiritual self allows you to give more of yourself to others. Doing this when it’s unexpected adds the element of surprise and fun.
Release Resentment
Resentment is defined as feeling or showing displeasure at a person, action, or remark resulting in an injury or insult. It is an emotion that can block you from appreciating the good things in your life, it can lower your frequency, and it can cause stress to build up within you because you’re so focused on hanging on to it. It fills you with feelings of ill will toward another person who you believe has wronged you. The belief could come from a situation that is real and justified, but it can also come from situations where you’re imagining something that isn’t there, which is often the case with jealousy.
Resentments can affect how you live right now. If there are things that happened in your past and you’re still holding on to, reexamine them and decide if it’s really worth holding on to the emotion, especially if it’s causing you to miss out on new things you could be experiencing now. If you’re holding back part of yourself from others because someone said something negative about you in the past and you’re letting it affect any new relationships you might build, then you’re letting your resentment over that situation tarnish what could be a shiny new experience for you. Once resentments are no longer a part of your life, you’re better able to give each new person you meet a chance to connect with you without reservation.
Unfulfilled expectations are often the cause of resentment. You expect someone to do what you want them to do, to act like you want them to act, and to be something or someone that you want them to be, not who they really are. When you put this kind of pressure on someone they will usually fail, and then you end up hurt and resenting them because they weren’t what you wanted them to be. If you’re trying to force your ideals, desires, and expectations on someone else who doesn’t share those same feelings, it’s not fair to resent that person who resisted you trying to fit them into a mold. They are unique spiritual beings just like you, and it’s up to you to see them as they truly are, not as you want them to be. When you’re aware, thankful, and filled with a down-to-earth feeling of coziness, then resentment can’t survive. It’s unhealthy both physically and spiritually to hold in all of the negativity associated with resentment. At some point it will come out. You’ll either get sick, stress over it too much, take it out on others, or realize that to have the cozy life that you want, you have to work through it so you can release it. If you’re having a hard time letting go of resentment on your own, you might decide to seek the help of a professional who can help you see things in a different way. Instead of being miserable and wallowing in resentment, try to find a reason and a way to let it go and try snuggling up in coziness instead.
Realistic and
Unrealistic Expectations
When you expect something, you regard it as highly likely to happen. Expectations are your feelings toward actions and events that you anticipate happening and are looking forward to. If you’re living a cozy life, then you don’t have overblown, unrealistic expectations of the people around you or events you want to happen. You tend to take a more even and calm approach. You will anticipate things happening, but you’re not unreasonable in your actions or reactions when something doesn’t happen the way you expected it to. You tend to appreciate things more when they do happen. When you have an inner sense of powerful calmness, expect the unexpected, and live with passion, then you will feel an inner peace, regardless of a situation’s outcome.
Disappointments can cause you to give up any expectations you may have about things. You might think that if you don’t expect anything then you’ll avoid being disappointed in the future. When you think this way, you’re blocking the joy you can feel in hoping and setting goals for yourself. It’s fun to feel excited about possibilities instead of holding your emotions in check to avoid disappointment. If you keep your expectations realistic then you’ll limit the amount of disappointment you feel. It’s when you have unrealistic expectations that disappointments can be overwhelming and feel devastating.
Creating unrealistic expectations is not only unfair to you but it’s also unfair to those around you. When you expect more from someone than they can give, then you’re setting yourself up to feel disappointment in their actions. Think about a situation where others expected more from you than you could give. You may feel bad because you couldn’t do what they expected of you, then that amplifies when they express their disappointment in you. Instead of having unrealistic expectations of them, it’s better to accept others for who they are instead of what you want them to be. If you only expect someone to give their best and they do, then that’s all that you can ask.
Putting unrealistic expectations upon yourself can cause you to feel excessive stress and out of balance. Connect with your inner essence, your true spiritual nature, then you can look past the materialistic part of life and into the divine. Keeping your expectations real allows you to see more possibilities and opportunities than if you’re stressing yourself out by pushing yourself so hard that you’re wearing yourself out. You can’t give your best if you’re taking on too much or stressing over expectations you have of yourself that you aren’t capable of achieving. When you let go of unrealistic expectations you’ve put upon yourself, you lighten the emotional weight you’re carrying and are able to breathe and gain clarity of vision. This leads to less stress and more happiness in your life. If, instead of always pushing too hard to achieve more, you take a moment to appreciate what you’ve accomplished and change your expectations from unrealistic to realistic, you are experiencing soul growth. Slowing down and being realistic is part of living a cozy life.
Take a few moments to consider your expectations of yourself and others. If you keep your expectations realistic instead of unrealistic, then it is much better for your overall sense of well-being. You’ll find joy instead of disappointment in situations and with other people. It is part of your spiritual nature to be in the moment, whereas having unrealistic expectations makes you miss those moments, which are so important when living in the moments of your life.
Reflect and Plan
To deepen the sense of coziness within and around you, there are times when you’ll need to reflect on the past and present in order to plan for the future. When you’ve settled into a cozy mind-set, then it’s easier to look at situations in a calm, rational way, to weigh the pros and cons, and to determine the path you’ll take moving forward. Reflecting helps you create a plan of action, to know all aspects of your spiritual essence better, and to see your gifts and flaws; it also allows you to change and refine what you’re focused on and set new goals. We each have a divine path to follow in this lifetime to fulfill our soul’s purpose, and it’s up to us to discover that plan and act upon it.
The weight of living in the earthly plane can push our spirituality deep within us, making it harder to discover when we’re unaware. When we do connect with it, then it spills forth, letting our inner light shine for all to see. If you feel your inner light is still stuck within you, then reflecting on your spirituality can help you come up with ways you can help your inner light break free and shine brightly. By looking where you’ve been, you can plan where you’re going. You can make changes where you need change, find enlightenment by examining your spirituality, and create a path to more coziness, peacefulness, and happiness in your life.
To get started reflecting and raising your self-awareness to prepare for change, there are some things you’ll want to think about. This is a perfect time to make a list or notes so you can review everything and make decisions later. First start with how you feel the majority of the time. Are you content, upbeat, and happy or are you unsettled, worried, and depressed? Have you been angry, jealous, or carrying around any other negative emotions that you can’t seem to let go of? Are you tired or well rested? The way you’re physically feeling and your emotions will affect how you’re dealing with the situations in your life.
When you’re reflecting, think about the actions you took in specific situations. Hindsight can often give us clarity we didn’t have while we were involved in the event. As you look at your actions can you think of a way you could have gotten a better result if you’d acted differently? This is how we can determine ways to act differently in similar future situations, which will ensure an improved result. There are also times when we have to step out of our comfort zone in order to gain the results we want. If you want a more cozy life but you have a hard time letting go of drama because you crave the excitement, stress, and gossip that goes along with it, then moving away from drama will be outside of your comfort zone. You may feel uncomfortable with silence, with just being. Even if you feel a little uncomfortable, you’re making forward progress.
If you make reflection and planning sessions a regular part of your life then it will help you learn more about yourself, see areas of your life that need improvement, and give you the focus and inspiration to continue to strive toward and successfully reach your goals. These sessions will leave you with a sense of purpose, of calmness, and of rationality because you are moving forward on your path.
Try It Now Exercise
Creating an expectations list can help you get a handle on whether you’re being realistic in your expectations of yourself and others or whether you’re being so unrealistic that no one, not even yourself, can meet the high levels of your expectations. If you’re setting yourself up for failure because you’ve set the bar too high, then taking a closer look at what you’re doing can be extremely helpful.
For this exercise, you can use any old notebook or loose-leaf paper. At the top of each page you’re going to write an expectation. Then underneath you’re going to write the following questions and give yourself space to write after each question. Be honest with yourself as you write down your answers.
Why do I expect this?
Is this expectation realistic?
Is this expectation unrealistic? Why?
Does your expectation require a period of time for adjustment?
How can I meet this expectation?
Is this expectation what really happens to me? If not, what happens instead?
Am I asking too much of others regarding this expectation?
What changes can I make to this expectation to make it easier to fulfill?
Am I expecting too much or am I settling for too little?
Am I expecting others to meet this expectation when I’m not willing to do it myself?
As you go through this list and examine each expectation, you might be surprised at how you’ve been thinking. Many times we don’t realize the expectations we’ve created can limit us or don’t really fit with our lives. For example, if you expect everyone to do your bidding but you’re not willing to do the things you’re asking others to do … well, then, who left you in charge of the world as supreme emperor extraordinaire? Most people are going to balk at this kind of expectation. It’s almost as if it’s from the fantasy realm. If you discover that you’ve got expectations that are a little out of step with reality, then look at them to see why you started having this expectation in the first place.
Writing down and evaluating your expectations can give you clarity of vision. Start your examination today.