There was a phrase that one of my old bosses used frequently when speaking of the work of a political operative. Whenever a politician would get too caught up in their own ideas, whenever they'd forget that we're all here for the team, or whenever they simply demanded too much, my boss would say we had to 'manage expectations'.
Today, I'd like to talk about managing expectations - my own.
Like a snowstorm that grabs onto you and refuses to let go, pelleting you in the face with flurries whose resemblance to cartoon snowflakes is hidden under layers of cold wind and frozen water, so 2015 has begun for me. Despite my commitment to focusing on what matters and taking things slowly, I have done so much in the first short month of 2016 that my head is basically spinning.
First, there's an ebook that is so close to being ready, that I can hardly contain my excitement (for sneak peeks, check out this and that).
Second, there's a big festive dinner THIS Sunday that has been both logistically challenging and incredibly inspiring at the same time, and which I approach with an equal amount of dread of anticipation. I cannot wait to see it come to life, and yet I fear every curveball thrown at me. Ah, the life of an entrepreneur! (if you are in Montreal and would like to join us, there are still a couple of tickets left!).
Third, I am teaming up with thebotanical.ca to think up a couple of exciting things for early March in the frozen capital that has a hold on my heart, Winnipeg. Stay tuned!
Beyond all that, there's also been my regular, demanding 9-5, the struggles of juggling life and love, a few exciting partnerships for this blog that I can't wait to tell you about, a successful daily yoga month-ling trial, and the fact this house looks like a clothes-and-things-and-random-bits-of-food bomb exploded in it.
Oh, and a near car accident. And a new citizenship. And 23 classes of yoga in 31 days.
Let's. Just. Take. A. Few. Deep. Breaths.
So basically, I've had to cool off jets and come off this space for a bit. I've had to manage my own expectations for perfection, realizing that sometimes, just good enough has to be enough. I had to remind myself that I'm in the long game - and that the end result is not whether tomorrow's blog post has 10,000+ views, or how many comments I get on an Instagram post... But how many people actually use this space, enjoy my recipes, get something from my words.
In the effort of managing expectations and preserving myself, I've pulled myself away from what I truly love. In the last week, I have been barely noticeable on social media, strangely absent from this blog, away from the yoga that feeds my body and soul, and unreachable for friends who just want to hang out. I owe you all an apology.
But the good news is, that after the 7th, things should get better. I may be late with Monday's blog post, and it may not feature a lot more than just exclamations and blurry photos from the night before, but I'll make every damned effort possible to be there.
You have my word. And I hope I don't have to manage your expectations after...
Marina says
I love to travel and through my travels I've learnt to set my expectations low. I try to never get "too excited" about visiting places or meeting people. That way, I'm quite often pleasantly surprised. I apply that rule to daily life. When overwhelmed with work and projects, I set expectations for myself lower than I normally would, and more often than not, the result is quite satisfying. 🙂 Good luck with everything! All your hard work is worth it! <3
kseniaprints says
I try to do that, but my perfectionism shames me.... It's a tough job being deluded into thinking you are perfect 😉
Elena says
So many things are happening in your life! Hope you'll manage your expectations and find time for what you truly love!
kseniaprints says
Slowly slowly - sometimes, by carving out ten minutes out of every hour, and sometimes by taking a whole afternoon off - I manage to find time to do what I love: cook, write, edit photos, and dream. It's not easy, but with encouragement from friends like you, it's entirely doable!
Berta says
First of all, congratulations on your new citizenship!! 🙂
I love these posts of yours! There's something incredibly powerful to publicly admitting that despite your best intentions, life has gotten the better of you and you have found yourself a bit stretched thin. We all find ourselves in situations like these, but we are not always able to admit it as honestly as you 😉
I hope all your plans work out well x
kseniaprints says
It's so funny. I spent my while childhood and teenage years training myself to be strong, never show weakness, never cry in public, hide my imperfections... But the older I get, the more I just want to proclaim the from the rooftops! I've really learned to accept that it's exactly those idiosyncrasies that make me who I am.
I hope so too, bertochka 🙂
Berta says
"Training myself to be strong" - that sounds so familiar to how I've spent the last decade of my life! I hope someday I'll be proud of my idiosyncrasies too 🙂
kseniaprints says
Sadly, I think it's part and parcel with our upbringing... There was such a taboo around showing weakness and emotions back in the USSR, and most former Soviet households are still struggling to outgrow it.
Berta says
Definetely!!
Berta says
And then there's also that idea that if you live abroad, your life must be perfect 😉
Summer says
Wow! So many things... All the best dear ♥
summerdaisy.net
kseniaprints says
Thank you Summer!!!! It's been a bit insane... But I wouldn't have it any other way 🙂
Terry says
Happy Tu B'Shvat, Ksenia!
What a great idea, this!
I love trees. Our indoor trees are coming out of dormancy now. Renewal is in the air.
See you soon.
kseniaprints says
Oooh! We'll be there to see them very soon 🙂
Stephanie says
I just found your website looking for healthy Mediterranean recipes and came across this post. And it spoke to my soul. I needed to manage expectations and didn’t! And now I’m managing chronic illnesses. But this post from back in 2016 allowed me to reflect on my last 10 years and think how far I have come and how far I still need to go on letting go of expectations. Anyway, I can’t wait to try some of your recipes! Thank you!
kseniaprints says
I have to admit I got pretty nervous seeing a reply on a post from 2016, which every website expert has told me to remove, assuming it was spam. Imagine how touched I was to not only see it was a real person, but one who actually took the time to write a real, moving, emotional and emotive response. Thank you so much - for landing on my site, for reading, and for stopping to share your thoughts. Hope your day is full of strangers smiling at you, too.