196. Expect Good Things To Happen

​When I was younger, in Chinese culture I was taught to be quiet, to be a good girl, to be humble, diligent and never expect too much. We were taught only to work hard, study hard and to hope for the better. In the famous Asian book and movie the Joy Luck Club, there was a scene where the mother lectures her daughter and says: “never expect anything, never expect!” 

As I grew up, I realized this saying was so true, I started to believe that the secret to happiness is to never expect anything good to happen or never expect anything from anyone else, then you will never be disappointed. I started to expect bad things to happen, I imagined things and events with the worth possible outcome then when it didn’t happen, I was happy about anything that came after. 

So for many years, I thought this way of thinking was justified and normal. But then as I got older I realized that’s something only someone who is emotionally immature would say. People who say this think that by eliminating desires and expectations, things will get better. If you  haven’t accepted the disappointments in life and your brain will try to find solutions to pretend they can get over the feeling of disappointment. 

Disappointment means expectations not being met. That’s it.

If you  try to control the world, if you try to control other people or events that are out of your control that is why you are not happy. You are upset at a phrase instead of realizing you are disappointed because you simply can not control what you want to.

So after I made peace with the phrases of disappointment, I now only expect good things to happen. So in the cases where my expectations are not met, I’m not attached to the results and my happiness is my decision to be happy and it’s not based on that outcome. But most of the time, because I am expecting good things to happen, every cell in my body is my cheerleader, the universe, god, Buddha, whoever you believe is the higher power will also help us get there. 

If you are aiming for the next goal, are you expecting good results? Are you expecting good things to happen? 

Expecting good things can improve your mental health. Optimism is linked to reduced levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. When you anticipate positive outcomes, it can improve your overall mood and resilience.

Optimists tend to approach problems with a positive attitude. People are often attracted to people who radiate positivity and optimism, this will lead you to stronger and better social  relationships.

Expecting good things does not mean ignoring or denying the existence of challenges, it’s just when you believe that good things are possible, you’re more likely to persevere through difficult times.

When you expect good things to happen, you’re more likely to set ambitious goals and take steps to achieve them.

The belief that good things will happen can lead to behaviors and decisions that increase the likelihood of positive outcomes. This is called a self-fulfilling prophecy.

When you expect success, you are more likely to work hard, take risks, and most importantly leaving the door open to seize opportunities.

Cheers to you working on your dream and expecting more blessings to shower your life.

See you next week.