During divorce, it’s especially important to become aware of how your expectations are impacting your emotional wellbeing. The way you interacted  with your spouse when married will no longer be as it once was.  

Holding onto expectations is a sure way to invite sadness, frustration and  disappointment into your life. Additionally, expectations often can lead to a  negative exchange when you do need to communicate with your ex-partner.  Truthfully, we only have control over our own thoughts, feelings and actions.  Once we embrace this fact, then feelings of peace, love and happiness can  increase for ourselves and even toward our ex-partner.

3 Ways to Break Away from Expectations 

1. Make Your Needs Your Own Responsibility—Your needs are your responsibility. Learn how to be a terrific problem solver. When help is extended,  that’s a bonus! However, trust that your inner strength and wisdom will support you in overcoming obstacles.  

2. Realign Your Focus—Start living your life with intentionality and purpose.  Focus on what you do have. Ask, “How can this work for me?” Focus on your  dreams, strengths and desires and then take small and consistent steps to  make them a reality.  

3. Embrace Allowance—Recognize that most people are doing their best.  Allow people to be human. Make room for both the good and the bad in the  relationship. Releasing unrealistic expectations ensures others that a relation ship with you is a safe experience.

“Incredible change happens when you decide to take  control of what you do have power over instead of  craving control over what you don’t.” 

Steve Maraboli