Lately I’ve been pondering the difference between “anticipation” and “expectation.” If there is one… and I’m feeling like there is. For me, at least.
Anticipation: look forward to
Expectation: a strong belief that something should happen
I’m splitting hairs, I know. Wordsmith, me. But hear me out. There is a definite difference in the feel of the vibration of these two words, ANTICIPATION and EXPECTATION.
Do you feel it too?
When I drop into ANTICIPATION, I start to smile and rub my hands together with great excitement… like a kid on Christmas morning, just sure there’s a puppy under the tree.
I feel ANTICIPATION in my heart space.
I feel ANTICIPATION like a flutter in my tummy.
When I drop into EXPECTATION, it feels heavier. My first response is to cross my arms and furrow my brow, even tap my foot or drum my fingers. Like, helllloooooo, come on already…
I feel EXPECTATION into my jaw and throat space.
I feel EXPECTATION into my feet, and like a weightiness on my shoulders.
Again, I get it. This is picky stuff.
But maybe it matters after all. Our words, our thoughts, they create our reality. They create the vibration in which we hang out. These words are like rudders in the boat, steering us one way or the other.
To me, there’s a presumptive feel to EXPECTATION. It feels like pressure. Pressure on me or the other or God. “I expect my birthday to be the best one ever.” I’m all for setting the bar, but what if EXPECTING is setting me up for less than God had planned for me? What if I’ve expected something out of my ego – a car would be nice – and the Universe knew that the best thing for me would be a bicycle… wouldn’t I be disappointed? Or what if I tried really hard in a relationship and expected reciprocal behavior… and it never manifested… wouldn’t I feel disappointed? Is EXPECTATION a set-up for disappointment?
(Not that disappointment is bad, mind you. We can experience disappointment and learn many things… but what if disappointment – painful, disturbing, dream-robbing – is a symptom of something not quite right in our beliefs, our thought system, our feelings… ya know, like, say, EXPECTATION. Hmmmmm.)
Does EXPECTATION narrow my view? Can I not see goodness as clearly because I’m focused on my presumed set of expectations and outcomes?
These are the things I wonder about….
Even the ketchup dudes who knew that Carly singing “anticipaaaaation” while those cute kids waited for the sweet red sauce to ooze its way out of the bottle would stir within us a happy feeling… make us crave ketchup on all our burgers and fries. Ketchup, good! Anticipation, yes! Good!
ANTICIPATION feels like expansion. It feels like youth and giggles and excitement. It feels like wide open possibilities and surprises. It feels like appreciation for whatever manifests and allowing “whatever” to be however the Universe decides. Because sometimes God knows best. 😉
If I train hard, stay focused, and ANTICIPATE a fun time at the race… it’s different from training hard, staying focused, and EXPECTING a fun time at the race. I dunno why, but it feels so different to me to stay in a space of CURIOSITY rather than PRESUMPTION.
It feels easier to hold curiosity than entitlement. Curiosity still has air, still breathes. Entitlement feels stale, abrasive, heavy, tight.
I think we’re in a time in earth’s history where the words we use directly affect the vibration at which we see and create our reality. I’m no prophet and I don’t know nature’s ways, but maybe it does count? 😉
What do YOU think?
Curiously, in childlike anticipation,
Lis xxx
PS Love you. Hugs.
EnergieGal 