Sometimes things just don’t work out like you thought they would.
Two weeks ago, my family and I planned to spend a week in Florida with sun, sand, and simplicity. Our flights were booked, our bags were packed, and we jetted off to… nowhere.
Everything fell apart. Our flights were cancelled not once, not twice, but yes, three times. On the third attempt you have to believe the universe is telling you to stay the heck home. And that’s when I realized: sometimes you just have to make the call that expectations and reality are not going to come together. Our refund was given, our bags were unpacked, and our expectations were blown.
So instead we stayed home…we played games, we watched movies, we soaked up some sun and great things in our own community. The week was not what was expected, but in the end, we got rest, reconnected, laughed, and recharged. I even got the bonus of having our garage cleaned out…well, kind of cleaned out.
Managing expectations is a constant challenge for everyone, but especially in today’s world. Whether it’s for your family or your work crew, your team relies on you to make the best of the situation, to move forward even if it’s not as planned.
Sticking to purpose, being agile to accomplish the goal, giving grace, finding some humor, and even appreciating some unexpected benefits makes it easier to managing expectations, but also to enjoy the journey.
Cargill announced the funding of the Wichita Collective Impact collaboration last week that will increase education success and workforce readiness in Wichita. Funded through a $2 million gift from Wichita-based Cargill Protein North America, the three-year initiative will be jointly led by the Greater Wichita YMCA, United Way of the Plains, the Public Policy & Management Center at Wichita State University and Wichita Public Schools, targeting a summer start date. This is an incredible opportunity for community.
This initiative is three years in the making, generated from the work of Project Wichita. We had several stops and starts throughout this time. But through this experience, we created enduring partnerships with our fellow organizations. We persevered and worked together until we could find a way to make sure our community will be better served.
Managing expectations is not always easy, but always needed. And yes, I still want to get to the beach.