As an entrepreneur, understanding how to deal with people properly is critical for both my personal and professional lives. And if there’s one thing that I learned over the years, it’s that the more you expect from people, the more disappointed you’re going to get. That’s why you must stop expecting from others too much.
If you’re feeling a bit confused, don’t worry. In this article, I’ll be detailing the top nine instances in which you shouldn’t expect too much from others, so read on.
1. Stop Expecting People to Reply the Second They Read Your Messages
How many times have you felt totally frustrated after seeing that a friend of yours has seen your WhatsApp message without leaving a reply?
Don’t worry, you’re not the first nor the last to feel that way, but that doesn’t mean that it’s healthy behavior.
People believe that social norms that apply to real-life conversations should apply to online ones as well. In other words, they believe that once they click the “send” button, a reply must pop up on their screens.
Here’s the thing: people can get busy, people can feel like not responding, and people can forget to reply. Those are just some of the cases in which you may not receive a reply after your correspondent sees your message. And the list goes on and on.
Expecting others to reply instantly can really ruin your relationship with them and with yourself, as you feel that you’re not worth responding to, which isn’t the case.
If you don’t get an instant reply, don’t feel bad or frustrated. Politely ask the other person why they haven’t responded, and I’m sure you’ll get a satisfying reason every time.
So, today’s first lesson is: stop expecting from others to reply instantly to your messages.
2. Stop Expecting from Others to Hang Out with You All the Time
I know – you’re always there for your friends, but sometimes, when you need to hang out with them, they’re not there for you. Or are they?
This is also another situation where you need to keep in mind that your friends and relatives have their own lives, which means that they may not always be available to hang out with you. That doesn’t mean that they don’t love or like you. It just means that life can get busy sometimes, so give them a chance, and they’ll eventually be free to hang out.
3. People Won’t Always Understand You
Another essential tip here is to stop expecting from others to understand what you’re going through all the time. Keep in mind that no one has walked in your shoes, nor has anyone lived your experiences and felt your emotions. That’s why you mustn’t expect everybody to get who you really are deep inside. Some will relate closely to your situations, whereas others won’t, which is totally fine. Either way, you’re still as special and unique as everybody else, so don’t you dare feel that you’re not loved and appreciated.
So, stop expecting from others to have the same ideas as you and understand you in every situation. It’s time to let go of that mentality and start allowing others to have their own perspectives regarding different matters.
4. Stop Expecting Others to Take Pictures with You
You mustn’t feel bad if a friend of yours doesn’t take pictures with you all the time. As opposed to what most people believe, that doesn’t mean that you’re ugly or anything. It’s just that some people don’t like taking pictures in the first place, while others prefer keeping them to a minimum.
5. It’s Okay if Your Friends Tag Others on Social Media Posts
Seeing your best friend tagging someone else in a comment on a Facebook or Instagram post may feel like a betrayal, but it’s probably nothing like that. Remember that your friends have other friends with whom they hang out. That doesn’t mean that they like them more than you, but they may have had an incidence related to that specific post or something that made them think of that other friend rather than you. Again, you shouldn’t feel that you’re less important in your friends’ lives, as that’s not the case.
6. Stop Expecting Your Friends to Like Every Picture You Post
Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites have endless feeds, which is why it’s easy to miss your friends’ posts, and it’s easy for them to miss yours. If your best friend doesn’t “like” your picture, it doesn’t mean that he/she actually doesn’t like it, but that he/she probably hasn’t seen it yet. Nothing wrong with your picture, and the likes will come eventually, so stop expecting from others to like your posts immediately.
7. Don’t Expect Others to Choose You Over Other Activities They Like to Peruse
Everyone, you and me included, has several activities that they like to pursue in their spare time. That’s why you mustn’t feel that you’re worthless if a friend decides to spend the weekend practicing their hobby rather than hang out with you.
8. Your Friends May Forget Your Birthday
Again, life can get busy, which is why your friends may forget your birthday for one reason or the other. That doesn’t mean that they have stopped loving you. Birthday wishes will flood your inbox as soon as they take care of their lives.
9. Stop Expecting from Others to Say Sorry
Arguments can get hot really quickly, and people may say things that they regret later. That can happen to the best of us. Stop expecting from others to apologize once they commit mistakes. Pride can get in the way, and you deserve peace in your life.