Often times on big trips, movies, or exciting weekends, it’s easy to get your expectations set really high. To think that it’s just going to be the best time of your life and that it will never end.
News flash, it always does end. But on a more real note, the higher I often set my expectations, the worse of a time I have. If someone tells me that something is “the best movie ever” and I go and watch it, I almost never enjoy it. Or at least I don’t love it.
On the reverse, if someone tells me that a movie was just okay or not great, I often end up enjoying it. I go in with low expectations and am pleasantly surprised.
This past weekend, I had high expectations going into my backpacking trip because I was excited to peak a mountain – something I have been craving for over 6 months. I was excited for spending time with friends too, but I had my expectation on hitting that peak.
Due to some injuries, my group of friends and I decided that we were not going to be able to do the peak hike the last day. We did a hike around the base and that was it.
I was very bummed to miss out on the peak, but knew I would enjoy life more if my friends and I stuck together.
Especially backpacking you realize what kind of sacrifices you have to make to enjoy your time. It never quite goes as planned. High expectations can lead to annoyance on the trip.
Just let what happens happen. And you’ll have a good time.