A religious speaker talked about expecting God's best. For example, I should expect God's blessing in getting my health back. How do I distinguish between expecting the most out of life and believing I can achieve my dreams versus having unrealistic expectations?

I think I figured it out on my own. It is okay to dream and believe and plan for goals, but they need to be realistic, attainable goals. Plan for the future, but live in the present. Lesson 4 was easier for me than lesson 3. It was easy to see my unrealistic shoulds and expectations of myself and others whereas it was much harder to identify negative thoughts (still is).

How do I distinguish between expecting the most out of life and believing I can achieve my dreams versus having unrealistic expectations?

Shoot for the dream of loving yourself unconditionally. This is very "realistic" and "achievable". This is the most out of life that you can get... to love yourself and others. As you meet this goal/expectation, you will feel the inhibitions melt away and begin to live with more confidence and faith in yourself and your dreams.

I agree about the importance of loving self unconditionally. I'm just now starting to accept myself for who I am, but still sometimes feel I'm being selfish. This has certainly been a journey for me thus far - and I'm only on week 5 so there is more growth to come!

I struggle with this too. Why is it so hard to love yourself but yet so easy to love others ?

rica,
I had an extremely hard time loving myself growing up, because i wanted others to accept me, warts and all, hehe. I over tried to make others love me. I really find it easy to love others myself and now beleive others love me to, but it sure took me awhile, in fact lots of years.I found a scripture 1st corthians13:7 Love, bears all things, believes all things, endures all things. I love that verse. We should love ouruself first, that allows us to give love to others,,we dont have to try to MAKE others love us if we just BE WHO WE ARE!!! take care and God bless you, Nelly

Thanks for the verse, Nelly. I happened to have had a rough day today and just read your message. Funny thing is that I was also scanning in the last of the pictures from a recent trip while reading the message. The picture scanned in and I had the choice to "accept" or "cancel". I chose "accept" and said, "I love and accept myself". Little goofy thing, but it worked and I felt a sense of calm. Your timing was great. I hope all is okay with you.

thank you nelly girl.....
your post was postd on my birthday and really I agree with what you wrote. It is hard to love ourselves and so easy to love others. I pretend that 12 yr old girl inside of me needs the comfort too like I might give to a friend. We need to be the giver to that 12 yr old inside... the other friend and really hold her hand )(ourselves) and tell her what we would to any other of us. We are that other friend that needs us. therefore we can love us like we love others so easily. does that make sense? Be that one who needs the help and encouragement and try to talk to ourselves in that good way that we can to each other... I know it is hard but I am trying to help that little girl inside me.

Hello Everyone! I am new to this forum...so forgive me for just now catching up on this particular message. When I first saw the title of this lesson, I thought, "Oh, no! This is going to completely contradict everything I've been listening to and reading lately about expecting GOD to do big things...ah-HA! Lightbulb moment! That's the key...not to expect too much from ourselves (unrealistic & irrational expectations), or others (this is a big one...especially considering all the unmet, unSPOKEN expectations!), but to pray and do our part and let God do what only He can do.
Thanks for "listening".