I was not sure whether to call this post assumptions or expectations.
Assumptions are ideas thoughts or beliefs that color our interpretation of history, of our experiences right now, of the future, while expecations are more future driven assumptions of how things will be and color how we interpret the future as it unfolds.
It is amazing just how quickly an assumption or expecation can take a neutral event and color it with the label of good/bad, how quickly it can create judgement, and how it can create anxiety as experiences deviate from what was assumed. Oh, how much energy gets tied up in the instanteous tension or conflict that arises when things do not happen the way we expected.
I am curious about how it would be if we could let loose of our expectations and assumptions and experience each moment as it really is.
I am curious about what we could do with all of that tangled energy.
What magic could we create or recognize if we were not all tied up in feeling good or bad about how things are, or what is happening just because they are not what we expected?
What do you think? If we could put aside 10% of our assumptions or expectations, just put them in a jar on a shelf, not lost or misplaced or even ignored, what could we do with all of that energy?
***
Image used with gratitude and by permission of Justin Cross
probably have more sex.
This is a very Buddhist concept, I was deeply touched the first time I came across the idea when first studying Buddhism and have tried to integrate the philosophy of living without expectations since. It’s very difficult and I find that when I don’t and disappointment follows I realize that it was because I had let myself get wrapped up in expectations and I gently remind myself to be mindful of that in the future. When I specifically remind myself before an event not to hold expectations I find I am nearly always pleased with the outcome- sometimes something sucks just because it does and it’s not about what you did or didn’t expect- but generally I find it to be very free-ing. 🙂