I hate being disappointed. I hate disappointing people. I never want to be a disappointment. But it happens. I will disappoint others, and others will disappoint me.

But what happens when I disappoint myself? I’m either being lazy, I’m not working to my full potential, or for the most part: I’m unrealistic. I often have too high of an expectation for myself and sometimes for others, which leads to me being disappointed.

So what have I learned? I’ve learned, and I’m still learning to become more aware of my own limitations. I’ve learned to ask for feedback. I’ve learned to share my thoughts and ideas with people and then ask, “Is that too crazy?” Or, “Is that too much?” I’ve also learned to ask those questions of myself in the moment and to be brutally honest with myself.

What am I still learning? I’m learning to ask for help. I’m learning to let go of the things I start, because there is probably someone who will take it to the next level. I’m learning that I can’t do it all. I’m learning that I have incredible potential, but it can only be lived up to if I am humble. I’m learning that my thoughts are probably shared by a lot of people out there, so start talking about it.

Lastly, I’m learning to give myself permission. I’m not going to hold myself to my own highest standard because it’s probably incredibly unrealistic. To let go of having to get it all done, and have it all perfectly tied up in a neat bow. I’m learning to create margin in my life by saying no.

Increase your awareness:

• Where are you holding yourself to an unrealistic expectation?
• Where do you need to increase your awareness about who you are and your own limitations? Can you accept your limitations?
• In what areas of your life can you create margin by giving yourself permission to either not do something, or to do something?