08/18/2025
We often suffer because we expect too much from others. We expect them to understand us, to treat us the way we would treat them, to never hurt us, and to always fulfill the picture in our minds. But the truth is — people are human. They are limited, imperfect, and constantly changing.
The Buddha taught that attachment and expectation lead to suffering. When we pin our peace on how others act, we hand over the key to our happiness.
👉 Instead, shift the focus inward. Expect less from others, and more from yourself:
Expect yourself to grow in wisdom.
Expect yourself to act with compassion.
Expect yourself to practice patience, even when it’s difficult.
Expect yourself to choose peace, even when life is noisy.
✨ Example from the life of the Buddha:
When Devadatta, his own cousin, tried to harm him out of jealousy, the Buddha did not expect kindness from him. Instead, he strengthened his own qualities of patience, forgiveness, and compassion. He knew he could not control Devadatta’s actions — only his own response. That’s why he remained unshaken.
The secret to happiness is not trying to control people or outcomes, but mastering yourself. When you rise above expectations of others and cultivate inner strength, you carry a happiness no one can take away.
🌸 Expect little from people. Expect a lot from yourself. That is freedom. That is peace. That is the way of the Buddha.
