I am filled with gratitude today as we celebrate the one-year anniversary release of Expectation Hangover. Last year at this time I was traveling around the country doing workshops and interviews – it was a blast to connect with so many of you.  It was also a time when I had to manage many of my own expectation hangovers that can come with a book release.  I have already decided that the name of my next book is going to be Eat lots of Dark Chocolate, Have Fantastic Sex, Laugh Uncontrollably, and Change the World because whatever I write about, I get to experience a lot of!!

Okay so I am kidding (maybe) about my next book title but holy moly was becoming the expert on Expectation Hangover a crash course in growth. I am incredibly grateful for this book because it has helped me and so many others not only overcome disappointment, but truly leverage it in a unique way which I share in today’s vlog.

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So perhaps you are new to my community and if so, welcome and you may be wondering just what the heck an Expectation Hangover is.

Well . . .

Have you ever had something turn out far different that you hoped it would and felt incredibly disappointed?  Have you even been so let down by a person or situation that you thought you’d never get over it? Have you ever not lived up to your own standards and felt a sense of failure?

Then you have experienced an Expectation Hangover®.

My formal definition is: “The myriad of undesirable feelings or thoughts present when one or a combination of the following things happens: A desired outcome does not occur, a desired outcome does occur but does not produce the feelings or results we expected, our personal and/or professional expectations are unmet by ourselves or another, or an undesired, unexpected event occurs that is in conflict with what we want or planned.”

When suffering from an Expectation Hangover, we are typically caught up in regretting the past or latching on to something we think will make us feel better. We’d do anything to end our suffering – the problem is we just don’t know what that is. (If you want to find out if you are having an Expectation Hangover and get a severity diagnosis and treatment plan, go here to take the Quiz).

How do you treat Expectation Hangovers?

Well, it takes a lot more than two aspirin, some greasy food and staying inside with the lights low. Because we don’t like not feeling good, we look for an external way to ease the discomfort. Rebound relationships, abrupt career changes, miscalculated risks, “over-ing” in the form of drinking, gambling, sex, drugs, work, or shopping so much so that it may create an addiction, and numbing oneself with something like television are common.

But none of the above coping strategies really work.

The first step to treating your Expectation Hangover is to get yourself out of any kind of victim thinking.  Asking, “Why is this happening to me” is the wrong question to ask. Ask instead, “What am I learning? and “How is this happening for me?” That simple shift in questioning will rescue you from sinking into the quick sand of victimhood and hopelessness.

You have a powerful choice to make right now: either accept your Expectation Hangovers fully or fight against them. Acceptance doesn’t mean you have to like what’s happening, it means stop fighting against it. When you attempt to eliminate your suffering by fighting with reality, you lose 100 percent of the time.

My sense is you are exhausted from fighting, but perhaps you think you have to stay strong. I assure you that surrendering through acceptance is one of the most powerful things you can do. Your life doesn’t have to be a battle. You don’t have to work so hard or be so hard on yourself. If you feel stuck in situations that keep repeating themselves, it is a sign of a core issue that holds deep truths and life lessons for you.

My encouragement to you today is to embrace your Expectation Hangover and see it as a catalyst to heal old issues you’ve been carrying around for years, even decades.  More about how to do this in today’s vlog.

On this year anniversary, I’d love to hear from you! Please head over to the blog and share how the book has served you or ask me any questions about your Expectation Hangover.

Remember: Disappointment is always a catalyst for growth and healing. Your #expectationhangover is a miracle in disguise! @christinhassler (Tweet this!)

Love,

Christine

p.s. Have you submitted your application for my Secret Sauce Business Training? The group is already shaping up to be AMAZING and I’d love to support you in creating the business and life of your dreams! Fill out your application here.

p.p.s. I’m also thrilled to share about my friend Gabby Bernstein’s Spirit Junkie Masterclass Digital! This is no ordinary digital training. It is a transformational deep-dive into what it means and takes to be a spiritual leader. It equips you with the tools, knowledge and network you need to catalyze real, sustainable growth as a spiritual leader. Go here for more info. The cart closes tomorrow.