Hope Comma But

“Hustle and creativity are antithetical to each other. You can’t generate breakthroughs while clearing out your inbox.”

Ozan Varol, Think Like A Rocket Scientist

Song: In The Sun by Joseph Arthur

Article: New Problems, Old Problems by Seth Godin

Thought: I wrote a short post about this soundtrack after my therapist initially shared it. It has become a mantra I repeat frequently – Expectation ends in a period; hope ends with a comma but.

Having expectations (especially of people) has led me into a lot of disappointment. Here is a few things I have told myself before:

  • I expect my boss to lead – implied is the way I want him/her to lead.
  • I expect my relationships to last forever – ignoring the fact that things change.
  • I expect friends to reach out and ask how I’m doing – knowing that they have lives too and can’t read my mind.
  • I expect people to take accountability and apologize immediately – knowing how vulnerable that can be.

I have far fewer expectations over the things I don’t control; however, I have a great deal of hope. Hope gives me something to contribute. Hope leaves the door open to different possibilities. Hope transforms periods into commas. My expectations carry too much weight for myself and others but hope lightens that yoke into something manageable.

Hope doesn’t mean I don’t have boundaries (or disappointments). Hope gives me a path through the imaginary box I’ve confined my view to be. I choose hope in my relationships and moments so I can remain open to the universe’s infinite pathways.