Whose Expectations Are You Living For?

Around 25 we hit the quarter-life crisis. We wake up one day and realize the life we've been living (the job, the location, maybe even the partner) don't quite fit us anymore. At this point it can become perfectly natural to question how we got here. We begin to question everything around us and end up in a space of isolation and fear.

If you're in this space, the only question you need to ask is, "Whose expectations am I living for?"

Think about your past decisions and see who you were trying to please. Was it yourself or others? Others can be partners, friends, partners, larger society etc. The important thing is that you begin identifying who you were trying to please and then try to only please yourself. The goal of turning inward is to cease trying to meet other people's expectations of you and instead live by your own set of expectations.

Carry a set of expectations for your life for what you want out of it. These expectations are for you and you alone. When you have your set, actively try to pull yourself away from trying to live up to others expectations of you.

You will never be able to live up to others expectations of you. It's not because you're not capable. It's because they will never feel it's enough.