Great Expectations

There's something to be said about people who lower their expectations just enough that disappointment rarely sets in. They probably don't have days like I did today.

By noon, I had labeled it as one of those "days from hell." Ever have one of those? I'm guessing most people have. It wasn't that things weren't going right, it was more an increase in stress level due to various factors (beyond my control, of course). In retrospect, I can sum it up in one word: Disappointment.

Right out of the gates, I was disappointed to learn my stepson Clay (the 9th-grader) was not going to school today. He wasn't home when Jim called him last night at 9 p.m., but sometime between then and this morning, he got a sore back. Yep, he missed another day of school -- that's the 28th of the school year for those of you scoring at home.

I had another personal matter eating at me and that, again, is something out of my control but frustrating and disappointing nonetheless.

There were a few work situations going on, too, that left me feeling a bit bummed. I only have what I would consider reasonable expectations of my employees. It is disappointing when I don't see an effort to meet those.

Isn't is frustrating when you can't magically transform someone into a person who cares? I had to take a break so I could calm down and get perspective -- plus it's weigh-in and measurement day for the Biggest Loser.

I realized on the ride over to the fitness center that my parents probably had the biggest disappointment of the day. They should be enjoying the warm climes of southern Texas tonight but instead my dad is home in northern Wisconsin, recovering from a bout of the stomach flu. Hopefully he'll be OK so they can catch their rescheduled flight on Friday!

Going into my weigh-in, I did not have high expectations. I knew I had an OK week so my hope was that none of the numbers would go up. Remember, I am taking a reasonable approach to this -- accepting slow, but sure progress. Needless to say I was thrilled when I stepped on the scale and saw I lost a pound! Plus, my body fat percentage went down, too! I was thrilled -- and it motivated me to keep going. I was smiling the rest of the day.

Yes, there's something to be said for people who lower their expectations just enough that disappointment rarely sets in. They miss out on some great highs when the tough ones are met!