(Life) No expectations, trust the process

Published: 2024-08-01

There’s something freeing about having no expectations. Not because everything will magically go right, but because expectations can trap us. When we stop assuming how things should go, we open ourselves to seeing what’s actually in front of us. That’s where real understanding happens—where new opportunities show up, often in ways we couldn’t have planned.

And in those opportunities, we end up finding more of ourselves. We stop measuring life based on external situations and make space for who we are to shine through. Sort of as a way to focus. Instead of being frustrated by what’s happening, we begin to ask, “How am I responding to this?” Less about control and more about being present.

At the root of it, life isn’t just about the obstacles we face. It’s about our relationship to them. How we react, what we take from them, and how we move forward. When we cling to expectations, we can sort of end up depending on them for our comfort. That’s a dangerous place to live. We can end up being people trying to fish in a a dry pond. People fighting the tide, when we can sail with it.

But when we let go of all that? Everything feels a little different. The world becomes less about “what’s wrong” and more about what’s possible. You’re no longer filling situations with assumptions—you’re filling them with yourself.

So maybe the key is this: focus on the process, not the outcome. I’m not saying have no goal in mind, but to be present and iterate as you’re moving towards it. I don’t know though—I confuse myself sometimes, too. I’ll think about it. All I know at the end of the day is to trust God about everything, and everything will fall into place. Not always in ways you planned, but often in ways you needed.