When Our Reality Doesn’t Match Our Dreams

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WHEN OUR REALITY DOESN’T MATCH OUR DREAMS

We are born to dream. You’ve been dreaming about your future since you were old enough to form thoughts, observe other people, and take in your surroundings. 

So why does your current reality seem so far away from the dreams you have for your lives?

As the holiday season approaches, it’s tempting to have many expectations for what they will look like. It’s a time when our expectations are often unmet as single moms. We want to form traditions and give our children (and ourselves) a magical, memorable experience. Yet, the circumstances of life often create barriers to having our expectations met. 

Before you enter Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year, you can equip yourself with realistic expectations–for yourself and your children.

THE CRUSH OF UNMET EXPECTATIONS

We all have expectations, and for the most part, we probably think they are pretty reasonable. 

Many of our expectations are subtle, playing in the background of our days. We have an almost built-in assumption about the way things “should” go or the things that we want to happen. Not only that, there are societal expectations, cultural ones, and the ones that our family has of us. 

Regardless of whether we set our expectations for ourselves and our families helped form them, we are left feeling deflated when our expectations are unmet. 

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ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS REALISTIC?

Now that you are a single Mom, it is essential to your peace of mind, your well-being, and your family’s future, to learn to set realistic expectations. Realistic expectations could be defined as those that are grounded in reality and are achievable. They help to empower you to move forward. They are built from values that are important to you. 

Many women are chasing unrealistic expectations that are often born out of a belief that we are not enough as we are. We strive for perfection or operate out of fear of what we may never be. 

As women and as Moms, we often carry a false belief that we need to be everything to everyone. We have to be good at everything and have everything under control. It’s the ultimate unrealistic expectation called “Super Mom.” It’s just plain unrealistic and it robs us of joy and our peace of mind. 

In our Shepherd’s Village University Health Parenting lesson “Learning to Set Realistic Expectations” we prepare you to better understand: 

  • How to identify unrealistic expectations

  • Expectations and their impact on our self-worth

  • Comparison and perfectionism and how they drive the expectations we set

  • How to let go of unrealistic expectations, and

  • How to set realistic expectations

It is normal and part of the human condition to set unrealistic expectations for yourself and those around you. And often, we have an unrealistic expectation to not set unrealistic expectations – see the trap here? 


Learn to overcome the trap of unrealistic expectations. Sign up for free for Shepherd’s Village University and start the lesson today!



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5 Holiday Survival Tips for Single Moms

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Time Management: Make Every Second Count