We need to learn that other people are not here to fulfill our desires…

The biggest disappointments in our lives are often the result of unfulfilled expectations. This is especially pronounced in our relationships and interactions with others.

Reconciling your expectations of other people will greatly reduce unnecessary frustration and suffering, your life and the lives of others, and will help you get your attention back to what really matters.

Don’t expect them to agree with you

You deserve to be happy. You deserve to live the life you dream of. Don’t let the opinions of others lead you to forget it. You are not in this world to meet the expectations of others, nor should you feel that other people are living to meet your expectations. In fact, the more you approve of your own decisions in life, the less approval you need from anyone else.

Dare to be what you are and follow your intuition, no matter how frightening or unusual. Don’t compare yourself to others. Don’t be discouraged by their progress or success. Follow your path and stay honest with your purpose. That doesn’t mean you won’t continue to learn and search, but let it be because you want to. Success ultimately means living your life happily in your own way.

Don’t expect them to respect you more than you respect yourself

Strength is in the spirit, not in the muscles. It lies in having faith and confidence in yourself and a willingness to act with that in mind. Decide at this point that you will never again ask others for the love, respect, and attention you should have toward yourself.

Look in the mirror today and say, “I love you and will continue to do so from now on.” It is important to be good to others, but even more important to be good to yourself. When you practice love and respect for yourself, you give yourself a chance to be happy. When YOU are happy, you also become a better friend, a better family member, a better YOU.

Don’t expect (and have a need for) them to like you

You may feel unwanted or unworthy of one person, but you are invaluable to someone else. Don’t forget your value. Spend time with those who value you. No matter how good you are to people, there will always be at least one negative person who will criticize you. Smile, ignore them and move on.

In this crazy world trying to convince you that you love everyone, the hardest battle you will ever have to fight is the battle to be what you are. As you fight back, not everyone will love you. Sometimes people will give you nicknames because you are “different”. That’s perfectly fine. The things that make you different are the things that make YOU, and the right people will love you for it.

Don’t expect them to be what you want from them

To love and respect others means to allow them to be what they are. When you stop expecting people to be something, you start to respect them.

Pay attention and respect people for what they are, not for what you want them to be. We do not know others even half of what we think; and true knowledge of someone is what makes them wonderful. Every human being is extraordinary and wonderful, but it takes a patient pair of eyes to see it. The more you get to know someone, the more you will be able to look beyond their outward appearance and see the beauty of what they really are.

Don’t expect them to know what you think

People cannot read minds. They will never know how you feel if you don’t tell them. Your boss? He doesn’t know that you are hoping for improvement if you don’t tell him. That nice guy you didn’t talk to because you’re shy? Yes, he did not give you a piece of his time simply because you did not give him a piece of your time.

In life it is necessary to communicate with others, regularly and effectively. And often, you are the one who needs to let go of the voice and say the first words. You need to tell people what you think. It’s just like that.

Don’t expect them to change all of a sudden

If there is a specific behavior that someone you care about has that you expect to disappear over time, it probably won’t. If you really need them to change something, be honest and put all the cards on the table so that person knows what you feel and want from her.

Basically, you can’t change people nor should you try. Either accept what they are or choose to live without them. It may sound harsh, but it’s not. When you try to change people, they often stay the same, but when you don’t try to change them – when you support them and give them the freedom to be who they are – they gradually change in a wonderful way.

Don’t expect them to be OK

Be kinder than you need to be, because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of fight, just like you. Every smile or sign of strength hides an inner struggle as complex and extraordinary as yours.

Remember that embracing ‘your light’ does not mean ignoring ‘your darkness’. We measure ourselves by our ability to overcome our adversities and insecurities, not to avoid them. Supporting, sharing, and giving to other people are some of life’s greatest rewards.

This happens, of course, if we allow it, because we all share very similar dreams, needs, and struggles. Once we accept that, then the world is a place where we can look someone in the eye and say “I’m lost and I’m struggling in the moment,” and they can head in and say, “Me too,” and that’s OK. Not being OK all the time is fine.

People rarely behave exactly the way you want them to. Hope for the best, but expect less. And remember, the amount of your happiness will be directly proportional to your thoughts and your choice of what opinion you will have about things.

Even if a situation or relationship doesn’t work at all, they are still valuable if they bring you some new feeling, and if they teach you something new.