The Freedom That Comes from Releasing Expectations
Recently, I had to let go of a quiet expectation I didn’t even realize I was still holding— The expectation that people would show up the way I show up.
Not because I think I do it better. Not because I’m keeping score.
But because when I say I’m going to do something, I follow through.
If I say I’ll be there, I show up.
If I say I care, I show it—genuinely, consistently, fully.
So when others don’t?
When they cancel without notice, fall off the radar, or drop the ball—I’ve often felt disappointed. And sometimes, if I’m honest, I’ve felt hurt.
But here’s what I’ve been learning (again and again):
Not everyone can meet you where you are. And that’s okay.
Some people don’t have the same capacity.
Some are doing their best, even if it doesn’t land the way you hoped.
And some just move differently—and that’s not personal.
One of the biggest shifts I’ve made is this:
I’ve stopped expecting people to operate like me.
That doesn’t mean I abandon my values.
I still care deeply about follow-through, presence, and alignment.
But now I observe more than I expect.
I meet people where they are, not where I assumed they’d be.
And I give grace—not as a way to excuse patterns that don’t align with me, but to release myself from the disappointment of trying to control what isn’t mine.
Someone recently told me directly after I told her how I see her shining in the world, “I know you are doing things too but I am too busy to follow what you’re doing right now.”
And instead of shrinking or overthinking, I let it land.
That’s her truth. And I don’t need to make it mean anything about me.
We were once close. Now we’re not.
No drama, no blame. Just different seasons. Different bandwidth. Different alignment.
This is what it means to lead your life with intention—
Not from a guarded place, but a grounded one.
Not from bitterness, but from clarity.
Not from proving, pleasing, or chasing—but from standing in your own peace.
If you’ve been carrying the weight of disappointment or unmet expectations, you’re not alone.
Let it soften. Let it teach you. Let it guide you back to what you need most: truth, grace, and your own solid ground.
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