It really doesn’t need to be this way.

I have an amazingly intelligent daughter who has convinced herself she is a “C” student. Why? Because her scholastic results are almost always graded “C”. Logically, in her mind, she was born a “C” student and has accepted this view of herself as true, as if preordained by some higher power. Subsequently, she continues to produce “C” level results. Sure, she’d love to get better grades, but she consistently lives down to the expectations she has accepted for herself.

Expectations. You never really notice them but they are always there. They are our own autopilot, silently and precisely recalibrating our life experience to match our own expectations of what we really think is possible for us. They are loyal, hard working servants, doing all they can to create the outcomes we trust will show up in our lives, even if we don’t like what arrives.

PLAN ACCORDINGLY Expectations are formed over time, a self-imposed belief system based upon life experiences with each outcome collectively contributing to the next one. Much of what we expect is influenced by fear. Our minds are quick to replay the episodes of the times when things didn’t work out as we had hoped. “Logically” we surmise things will probably happen that same way again so we emotionally brace for it by aligning our expectations accordingly.

But what happens when we base our expectations not solely on what has happened to us in the past but rather on what could happen to us in the future?

Expectations are an extension of who we believe we are and what we think is possible for ourselves. Too often, in shaping our vision of what is possible for us, we overlook one critical component.

Our divinity.

The world will readily remind us of our shortcomings and will offer us reasons we can then allow to give credibility to the idea ours is a world of shortage, lack, and scarcity. Or we can choose to see the world as it was truly created; an infinitely abundant and unlimited universe in which we all share equally. Since you are a part of this world, you, too, share the same infinite possibilities which surround you. Your willingness to partake of this infinite world is a choice you make, quite often unconsciously.

BECOMING YOUR WITNESS None of us are here to simply watch others prosper while accepting a lesser lot in life. Our divinity, in the form of our talents, gifts, and abilities, are within us for the sole reason they be fully expressed as a gift to the world. God has planted seeds of greatness within all of us. He wouldn’t have planted the seeds unless He expected them to grow.

Spend some time today observing your habitual responses to daily living. Become a witness to where your thoughts automatically go throughout your day. What are you expecting? Is what you’re expecting propelling you forward or simply holding you back?

For me, this was one of the most important things I’ve learned about myself. By taking the time to observe I was able to uncover any limiting expectations I held for myself in certain areas of my life. Once identified I knew I could continue to live in a world influenced by fear or a world influenced by faith.

Which world are you living in?

It’s a great day to be you!