"But that's not the way it's supposed to be!" is a common thing we say when our expectations fall short. It happens to all of us. Some members of MyDepressionTeam have found the practice of "allowing and letting be" in the midst of a trying to be a way to minimize anxiety or heaviness.

Mindfulness experts suggest a few ways that we can notice -- not push away -- how we feel during difficult moments. There are physical responses we can notice (heaviness in the shoulders, tightness in the chest), and we should also take note of our emotional responses to disappointment (blame, self-doubt, exasperation). These can be opportunities to realign our expectations and extend grace to ourselves.

Here are recent conversations from MyDepressionTeam:

• "Having a good day. Learning to appreciate what I have. Although life doesn’t go the way you want, I try to be grateful."
• "Sometimes life lessons can only be understood by going through them on your own. Doing so allows you to form your own conclusions based on first-hand experience, rather than someone else's subjective opinion."
• "I haven't posted in a few days. I have been doing well, choosing to be positive, choosing to be happy, choosing to not let others darken my day. They have no control over my happiness in my heart and soul. It has taken me a long dark journey to be able to say that."

Share how you respond when things fall short of your expectations in the comments below or directly on MyDepressionTeam.com.