I’m going to paint the scene. It’s around midnight, and you’re craving a snack. You open the fridge and disappointment ensues. You close the near-empty fridge, displeased. After walking around the house, you return. This time when you open the fridge, you’re a little more honest with yourself. You’re desperate. Standards have hit rock bottom. With a renewed expectation, you finally select something. Although it may not have been your first choice, your hunger is subsided.
Another scene, A$AP Rocky has just come out with a new album. You’re a huge fan. Twitter is overflowing with critiques, and you must hear it for yourself. After hearing so much hype, the album falls short. It’s good but not great. Later, while driving by yourself, the songs come on shuffle. This time, with less anticipation and pressure, you realize you love the songs.
In both these scenarios, what you expected hindered your initial experience. Adapting your standards led you to enjoy something you might not have considered. What if every first impression felt like the second impression? Lowering your expectations can allow you to enjoy life more.
This concept applies to how you plan your day. If you’re like me, you feel pressure to have an exciting and adventure packed day, every day. A day that makes your life seem interesting on Snapchat. Not only is that exhausting, it’s expensive. Sometimes “fun” costs a lot of money. Concerts, theme parks, restaurants, it all adds up. What if you could get just as much utility from cheap, boring activities?
As an older sister, I see it as my duty to teach my younger brother. The lesson of this week: learn to enjoy the little things in life. As cliche as that sounds, it’s quite life-changing once put into practice. I took my brother to Barnes & Noble, and we flipped through cookbooks. How fun you perceive an activity to be depends on what you compare it to. It wasn’t as fun as going to Walt Disney World or even the beach, but it was more fun than sitting at home. Take the time to be bored. Really be bored and be aware of how bored you are. Only by recognizing and feeling boredom and quietness can we truly appreciate an activity. These moments of dullness spawn creativity.
Having too high expectations in life will always lead to disappointment. Having an open mind about things will unlock a deeper appreciation for things and activities. Sometimes when you feel unsatisfied, the only thing that’s flawed is your mindset.
Layla Soboh is a UF advertising junior. Her column comes out Tuesday and Thursday.
