"When you release expectations, you are free to enjoy things for what they are instead of what you think they should be."

At least once a day, I find myself daydreaming about some upcoming circumstance. It could be a little thing, like how the weather will be at the beach or what clothes I'll pack for vacation, to something huge, like what the new year holds or how people will be. And at least once a day, I'm disappointed at the expectations I had. It could be that it rained when I expected it to be sunny, or I couldn't find the outfit I planned to pack, it'll still rock my boat. So if you're looking for the secret to happiness, here it is... Leave your expectations behind.

We've all seen the jokes "expectations vs. reality"... and in case you haven't had the pleasure of saying "that's so true," here are a few to help.

Who doesn't love a good surprise? Who doesn't love 30 of your friends showing up to surprise you for your birthday, or receiving flowers on your doorstep for no occasion, just to remind you that you're loved? We all do! Why? Because you weren't EXPECTING it to happen. If you had been planning on being surprised for your birthday, you would be upset that only 30 people came, instead of the 50 people you thought of in your head. If you're waiting for flowers to come, you'll be disappointed that they don't.

Expectations can be dangerous because they can cause you to be close minded to a situation, simply because it wasn't what you wanted it to be. They can keep you from experiencing something new, because you already planned in your head how it would go, and didn't like the outcome. They can strain relationships because the person you wanted to see, isn't the person that they are, and you're not willing to change and accept that. They'll bring you down, leave you down, and keep you down. So, just let them go.

Of course I don't mean live life completely without expectation. Don't try to get away with skipping out on planning. I mean, don't let the things you daydream about ruin the reality. Let life surprise you. Let your vacations be filled with spontaneity, and let people exceed what you could have made them out to be. Travel without expecting to see magnificent sites, instead find the magnificence in the smallest of moments. Find the silver lining instead of being too busy looking for gold.