How to Lower Expectations

In a culture focused on getting everything done right, and right now, we have exorbitantly high expectations for the work place, home, love and ourselves. When you lower your expectations but not your standards, you can be much happier.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Work smart. In any task at work, lower your expectations while trying to do the job to the best of your ability. Strive for perfection in your work and that of your colleagues, but don't expect perfection every time. This will alleviate some of your stress at the work and allow you to focus on getting everything done without fear of disappointment.
2. Make home a safe place. Don't beat yourself up for not getting the house completely spotless before company arrives. Lower your expectations of your living environment to meet the trials of life and your time constraints. Unless you have the money for a maid tell yourself that it is okay to leave some dishes in the sink before you go to bed. Pushing yourself will cause resentment and self-doubt. Allow yourself some down time with your loved ones. Allow yourself the space to be a good keeper of the home, and not the best.
3. Love with compassion. It is easy to look at others and create expectations in your mind of how they should act on a daily basis in a relationship. Understand that everyone has bad days, failures and mood swings that make life a little harder. Don't expect your significant other to be at their best all the time. To err is human, and to forgive is truly loving that person enough to allow them to make mistakes. Lower your expectations of those you really care about and let them be human.
4. Be kind to yourself. Striving for perfection in yourself is a good thing, but it doesn't have to be the only thing. Everyone fails, and not every job is going to be easy or easily completed. You will live a healthier life without all of the stress and demands that you place on yourself. Do your best; sometimes it will be perfect and sometimes it will just be enough.