Will Valentine’s Day Live Up To Your Expectations?

February 14^th is the day celebrated as Valentine’s Day in many countries throughout the world. More often than not women expect more from Valentine’s Day than men do. It’s a day many women long for in great and hopeful anticipation of the shower of attention, love and gifts that they will receive from that special person in their life. Of course many ladies will be thrilled at what the day will bring while others may be dismayed and disappointed, wondering if their mate really cares.

Valentine’s Day: Expectations vs. Reality

It is hard not to buy into the hype created by marketers ever since the end of the Christmas and holiday shopping season. It’s hard to suppress over eager emotions and instead listen to your rational mind as it tells you that one day in the year should not be an indicator of how much your mate loves you. In order to guarantee that they won’t be disappointed, some ladies provide their partner with hints, even instructions on what they expect on the special day. Despite all of this, what if your expectations don’t match reality? What does this tell you about the relationship?

The short answer is not much. The more profound question of whether your relationship is sound requires deeper exploration. Be careful not to let your disappointment catapult you to the worst-case scenario. When you have lingering fears and doubts in the back of your mind, those fears will surge forwards at the slightest provocation and will influence how you view and interpret your world. So some questions to ask yourself when you are disappointed are: “Did I have a sneaking suspicion or fear that Valentine’s Day would be a flop?” “Am I overreacting?”

Another factor that impacts the conclusion you have drawn is that you and your partner view the world through very different lenses. Your lenses are colored by your life experiences, your beliefs and your personality. You may see the glass as half empty and he may see glass as half full. The best way to fully understand each other’s perspective is to communicate with an emphasis on listening to each other with an open mind.

When there’s trouble in paradise

From another angle the painful truth is that sometimes we are faced with difficult relationships. If you find that there’s a growing sense of uneasiness in your gut as you examine your relationship, it may be an indication of more serious issues. Here’s an opportunity to do something about it. Work on improving your communication, learn to effectively handle conflict and learn to forgive.

Think of your love relationship as being a story you are writing together. You have the opportunity to learn and grow together as you co-create the story. Like any good novel there are twists and turns in the plot some of which may be nerve wracking. The final outcome heavily dependent on the decisions and actions each of you makes. Take time to think about the story you wish to create. Then take the necessary steps to make it happen.

Click here for an in depth article on how you can Create and Amazing Love Story.