Expect Greatness

Several years ago, a little boy around 7 or 8 came to my door by himself. It was Halloween. He had no costume on and, more importantly, no bucket or bag! I opened the door and he timidly asked, “Trick or Treat?” I asked, “Friend, where is your bag??? You can’t trick or treat without a bag?! Hold on!” I quickly ran and brought back the biggest bag I could find and handed it to him. I then said, “When you go trick or treating, you have to expect greatness. Now, I want you to open your honkin’ bag and “Trick or Treat” as if all the candy in the world depended upon those three words.” He stood up tall and grinned from ear to ear and boldly said, “Trick or Treat!” while holding his bag open. My 2-piece candy rule went quickly out the window and I gave him 2-handfuls instead.When’s the last time you expected greatness? How long has it been since you were happy with yourself? In your job? In your relationship? How you parent? When is the last time you got excited to bake a pie or go for a swim? Life is hard, and situations can slam into us like a speeding car without brakes. Nevertheless, we need to find pockets where we expect greatness. Notice perfection is not mentioned. Expecting greatness is different than expecting to be perfect. Brené Brown says we should live life daring greatly. Sometimes all that can mean is just showing up. Being brave enough to get off the sidelines, step out and be vulnerable. Occasionally it means making the first move in a strained relationship. Saying “I’m sorry”, “I messed up”, or “Let’s try again.”Therapy is a great and safe place to learn new techniques in practicing bravery and vulnerability in your journey. You can express pain, fear, and hurt, while being heard, validated, and affirmed. Therapy can be the tool you use as you expect greatness in every area of your life. Brené Brown wrote, “The power of owning our stories, even the difficult ones, is that we get to write the ending.” I challenge you to own your story and expect greatness as you write and live your life.