Respect Not Expect

By Daria Mitsos

Relationships of all sorts can be tricky. They all have their ups and downs, ins and outs, and sometimes even an end. We’ve likely experienced it all and either came away bitter or better, even if it meant we walked away. When it comes down to it though, I feel like it can be narrowed down to us expecting certain things out of people and being disappointed when that doesn’t happen.

So what if we respect people for exactly who they are, who they want to be, or who they’re becoming, regardless if it “fits in our life” or not?

Expecting someone to be who we want them to be, or who we think they should be, will usually let us down at some point or another. It may not end the relationship, but it can put a strain on it. Respecting someone for who they truly are, (even if they’re in the process of changing), means accepting them for being able to truly be, embrace, and love themselves through it all.

This is a hard subject for me to write on, (hello vulnerability), because I can talk about it, but I’ve had a hard time in the past couple of weeks practicing what I preach. Hey, at least I can admit it. However, it really just kind of hit me like a ton of bricks this morning and I thought “I need to write this down.”

We can’t expect someone to be the version of themselves that we think they should be. We’ll only be disappointed. We can respect them though, and that alone can change so much. Let go of your expectations… even for yourself.

For more from Daria, visit her personal blog at https://dariamitsos.wordpress.com/