Wake Me Up: Morning Positivity - Morning Routine - Happiness Equals Reality Minus Expectations (Premium)

Episode Date: November 9, 2020

A guided morning wake up that will help put any expectations into perspective, so you can have a great day no matter what happens. Enjoying Wake Me Up? Get ad-free access to the entire WMU catalog + bonus content by joining the WMU Premium Feed. Sign up and start your 7-day free trial at https://wakemeup.supercast.com/. Follow the show on Spotify - Apple Podcasts - Podchaser Say hi or request an episode at www.wakemeuppodcast.com/contact. See visual guides for the yoga and stretches in WMU episodes at www.wakemeuppodcast.com/stretches. And find the podcast on Instagram and TikTok. **Only partake in the physical movements suggested in Wake Me Up episodes if you are physically able and in safe surroundings. All movements are done at the individual's own risk. Be safe, and always consult a doctor if you have any questions or concerns.** Have a wonderful day 😃 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Thanks so much for listening, and I hope you have a fantastic day. Hi, everyone, and welcome to Wake Me Up, the podcast where morning people are made. As always, I'm Tyler, and I'm your host. Thanks for tuning in for this morning routine episode about the happiness equation. And that is happiness equals reality minus expectations. Now, of course, this isn't a scientific equation. It's not an ultimate truth. But it does hold some value, and that's what we'll talk about today

as we make our way out of bed and into this great day. If you haven't already, go ahead and open your eyes and just start today with a big, deep breath, filling all the way up, and then just letting it all go back out. No need to use any force. Today, let's do a few stretches in bed. So roll over onto your back and bring both knees towards your chest.

Give them a gentle squeeze with your arms. You don't need to push this too hard. And of course, only do this stretch if you're able and if it feels good for you. We'll be here for a minute, so make sure you keep breathing deeply. You can always rock from side to side. or draw circles with your knees, do anything that feels good to you. And while you sink into that stretch, let's circle back to that equation for just a second. Happiness equals reality minus expectations.

What does that mean? Well, if you think about it, what the equation implies is that with zero expectations, reality itself will lead to happiness. So, if you remove your expectations, you'll always be pleased. Now, like I said before, that's not a universal truth. There are tons of situations where you may not have expectations. I find it best to use this equation to keep my expectations in check. Our brains unconsciously form expectations.

And most of the time, that's a really useful tool in helping us to make decisions. The issue arises when we have unrealistic expectations, and that leads to poor judgment, false hopes, and ultimately being let down. So when you find yourself let down, perhaps the first question to ask should be, what were my expectations, and were they reasonable? We'll talk about that more throughout this episode. But for now, it's time to get this great day started. So release your knees if you're still stretching and let your legs fall back out long along the bed. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, roll over in bed, bring your feet all the way around and place them on the floor and make your way to standing up.