Don't get upset when this happens

There are times in life where we envision a person or situation being a certain way, only to find that our expectations don't live up to reality.

Maybe we picture our partner turning from a slob to a neat freak, or becoming a huge sports fan or sci-fi geek like ourselves. But after several years, it just hasn't happened.

Perhaps we've imagined ourselves working in our dream job -- whether it be as a news anchor for CNN or a world-renowned chef -- but find ourselves nowhere near reaching that goal.

Just because the situation at hand isn't ideal doesn't mean you can't take a moment to appreciate the progress you've made.

Maybe your boyfriend is much more receptive to watching The Walking Dead than he was a year ago because your enthusiasm for the show has rubbed off on him. Or, you might not yet be, say, the manager of the marketing department, but perhaps you've gone from intern to coordinator in a very short period of time, which in itself is to be commended.

Life isn't perfect, and things don't always happen when or how we desire.

As I've mentioned in prior posts, there's no guarantee you'll get a person to change, but it's certainly worth a shot. If the person cares enough about the relationship, they'll at least be willing to listen. But you should also be realistic: you can't flip out everytime a person fails to act like you expected in a given situation.

Moreover, while I'm thankful for my day job, I feel I have outgrown the position and am seeking fresh challenges. However, I know finding a great job doesn't happen overnight. In fact, it may take me years before that "too-good-to-miss" position pops up somewhere.

The key is to recognize your accomplishments up to now as you continue to strive toward even greater success.

And just because things don't go according to plan doesn't mean you can't still come out a winner. For example, you might end up working in a field even better than the one you studied or in a serious relationship with someone even more captivating than the person you had in mind.

Sometimes life has a funny way of taking us on detours that are ultimately to our benefit -- even though it may not seem that way at first.

Don't get frustrated when your expectations don't match up with reality. Keep working hard toward your goals. While you may not get exactly what you planned, you can take pleasure in the fact that you gave it your best.

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