The Perception of Entitlement

"E" is for "entitlement". Ones right to do or have something, to be qualified or allowed. I'm certain almost everyone who has clicked on this entry has experienced this whether directly or via prospect. It's the mentality of "I deserve this".

Entitlement itself isn't a bad thing. I believe that everyone should know what they want and what they are worth and work hard to accomplish their goals. The problem occurs when people make little effort to achieve their objectives, becoming depressed and complaining that they "deserved x" and that the problem is "y". Of course, "y" is definitely not them; it must be some external variable that is affecting their life and their worth. So instead of fixing "y", they would rather complain and whine.

News flash! You may be worth FAR more than anyone would and could ever know, but if you don't work hard to show it, no one will actually know your value. You're the only one who will truly care about you.

Don't expect anything from others. I find that expectations are our worst enemies. They affect us in relationships, work and even day to day transactions. When you expect something to be a certain way, it will most likely always fall short and rarely exceed your suppositions.

Be optimistic! Although it may be hard at times, it's always best when you try to have a good outlook on things. You'll even find that things just happen to fall into place much better when you set aside the bad feelings and really push yourself to look on the bright side of things. You can't change the past, but you can make the future brighter by learning from your past experiences. Push yourself to make the right decisions and better help you reach your goals.

Take yourself out of your shoes. Look at life as a much bigger thing than just your small little circle of friends, family and acquaintances. The world is so much larger than just you and me. It's hard to imgine when you haven't traveled much, but open a map, do some research, you'll find that you are just a small ant in a mound of mounds and mounds of ant hills all across the world. It's a priveledge for you to live and breath.

No matter what life brings you – the good, the bad – your experiences help build you! They have helped create the person that makes you who you are, use that to your advantage and be amazed at how much your life is truly a blessing. Take time to thank the people around you even if they aren't someone you are close to - the taxi driver, the waitress, the random person holding the door open for you. Appreciate others and they will appreciate you.

Sometimes, things just don't work out. Assess the situation. Figure out why it didn't work and what you can do in the future to fix those problems. This will allow you to encounter the same predicament and come out of it on top.

Also, allow yourself some relaxation! Life can be stressful. Making decisions can be hard. Things just don't work out all the time and that's life! So...Find healthy ways that help you relieve stress. Note, you might want to make a list of long term and short term options. For example, a short term option could be counting down from 10 to 1 in your head; a long term option might be sitting in your favorite spot and reading a chapter of your current book. This will allow you to overcome stress in various situations.

In the end, you are only entitled to what you truly work for. So if you think you are worth something, bust your butt to make it happen! It is ultimately up to you to make your dreams come true. And remember...If at first you don't succeed, look at the problem from another angle, find a new solution and try again.

I am learning to change my perception on entitlement in order to help me become a better person and make decisions and choices that allow me to accomplish my goals. It can be rough to stay optimistic and sometimes, I just want to smash my face into my keyboard, but that won't make things work the way I want them to. 

What about you? What do you think about entitlement? Do you agree with my explanation, tips and suggestions? Or do you have any for me? 

<3 x 9001,

/Maggie