Expectation Vs. Reality

Writing Prompt: Make a list of all of your Expectation Hangovers.

  • It’s Tuesday! Writing prompt day!! Expectation vs Reality.

  • We all know the feeling of expecting one thing and having something completely different happen. Holidays and vacations are great examples.
  • What happens, though when life serves up the whammies—the surprise ouches like an unexpected death of a loved one, an unwanted medical diagnosis, a sudden loss of a job and the financial security that came with it, a relationship ends, the project you gave everything to fails, and the list goes on and on.
  • For today’s writing prompt, grab your notebook and a pen. Set your timer to 15 minutes. Remember to write as fast as you can. Write down everything that has thrown you for a loop—bewildered, dazzled, disoriented, or shocked by some event. Even though life continues to throw us curve balls, we tend to carry these past events with us. Next, identify which one is giving you the most grief right now and add a star next to it. Next week we’ll address that one.
  • Here are some questions to consider adapted from the book Expectation Hangover by Christine Hassler:
1. Is there something in your life that did not go as planned?
2. You did plan something but you are not enjoying it even though you thought you would?
3. Did somebody or something let you down?
4. Is there a relationship that has taken a different direction leaving you upset?
5. Do you regret a choice you made or an action you took?
6. Has something happened that’s left you scratching your head and saying, what the what?!?
  • Write it all down. You might think that’s just the way life is, write anyway. Write fast. Go!

Watch a video to learn more from Christine Hassler

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a recovered expectations addict! Well, um, still recovering!! So, as I learn, I’ll be sharing, because that’s the kind of gal I am. :-))

Dare to Dream