So 2014 is winding down. Shocking, but true.

It’s that time when we reconnect with friends and family and take stock of what happened this time we went around the sun.

While this season is festive and filled with love and amazing, it can also be really hard.

A Royal Setup for Disappointment

First, there’s the family stuff. We can put so much pressure on ourselves and our families to have these perfect Norman Rockwell-esque gatherings, where all of our rosy-cheeked kin get together for a cheery love fest.

But the truth is, even if ours is the most functional of families, we’re going to get our buttons pushed one too many times by our nagging sister-in-law or our helicopter mom. We may crave meaningful connections but leave feeling empty or sad that, once again, it just didn’t feel as good as we’d hoped.

Then there’s the fact that we’re coming up on the end of the year. We can’t help but take stock of the months that have passed and ask ourselves, “Was this year as good as I’d hoped? Did I give it everything I had? Did I achieve the things I set out to?”

If you’re an appetitious, goal-oriented type like me, you probably didn’t accomplish everything you’d hoped to this year. And that can leave you feeling disappointed in yourself and not so cheerful.

It Happens to Everyone

What do these scenarios have in common? You hoped something would happen in a certain way and it didn’t. And you feel really bummed out as a result.

It’s an “expectation hangover.”

My friend Christine Hassler just came out with a book on this very topic. Christine defines an expectation hangover as one of these three things:

1. You don’t get what you want.
2. You do get what you want but it’s not as great as you thought it would be.
3. Life throws you an unexpected curveball.

We all have expectations. Sometimes they’re met; sometimes they’re not. Christine tells us what to do when we inevitably find ourselves in Bummerland from time to time.

Christine and I had a chat on Glimpse TV and we talked about:

• The opportunity in disappointment

• Why you should milk your “expectation hangover” for all it’s worth

• How to determine whether your coping strategies are working or not—and what to do instead if they aren’t

• The difference between an expectation and an intention, and which will serve you more

• How to avoid an expectation hangover in the first place

Click the image below to watch the Expectation Hangover episode of Glimpse TV.

 

When it comes to disappointment, there’s always a doorway for healing and transformation. ~Christine Hassler (Click to Tweet)

Grab your copy of Christine’s book HERE and get an interview with Dr. Robert Holden and a 10-part video course for free.

Over to you:

What expectation hangover have you experienced? How was it an opportunity for growth and transformation? Leave a comment below—I’d love to hear from you!

P.S. Feng Shui for Financial Freedom: This program combines my life-long love of all things home related with what I know about organizing energy to attract abundance. I’ll give you everything you need to know (complete with an 8-step action guidebook) to make room for riches in time for the holidays. Get more information about this program HERE.