If we take out expectations, we will never be disappointed. Expectations are part of life’s rich tapestry, but it’s only when others let us down and we end up dealing with disappointment that we deal with failed expectations too. Failed expectations will always bring about disappointment.

How do we deal with expectations and disappointments so we’re not carrying those for longer than we have to? The answers lie in our ability to experience and understand our emotional reactions to some of our experiences, through expectations. We need to take the pressure off ourselves.

Whatever the circumstances, however we fail, it is important we stand back, so that we can work out a way forward. It has nothing to do with expectations.

We attribute negative experiences to personal failings, instead of seeing two separate issues. In reality, life does what it’s meant to do, but sometimes we add to that and convince ourselves we've fallen short and that we could have done better.

We must take away the expectations. We do what we can and when we can. We mustn't place expectations on ourselves and no-one else has a right to place expectations on us either.