Expect little receive much.

I thank one of my friends for inspiring and challenging me to look at art in a different way. Using a different palette and a different set of brushes and making different strokes a painting already produced and painted again can look so very different. I am aware that it will not meet the expectations of the many friends who take time to comment on my work but it was challenging to produce and I learned much.

I have recently become secretary of a local committee that is in place to look after and support the community. The secretary before me was there for many years and did an excellent job. I have been aware that for some I am not meeting expectations I am not like the previous secretary and I do not do things the same way as he does. I never will meet the expectations of those who worked along with him so I have stopped trying and decided that I will give of my very best and can do no other.

The expectations we have, especially at this time of year can be met and fully satisfied but only if we do not set them too high in the first place.

A young psychology student who had been called up to do military service and was serving in the Army decided to test a theory. 

Being allocated kitchen duty, he was given the job of passing out apricots at the end of the food line. 

He asked the first few soldiers that came by, "You don't want any apricots, do you?" Ninety per cent said "No." 

Then he tried the positive approach, "You do want apricots, don't you?" About half answered, "Uh, yeah. I'll take some." 

Then he tried a third test, based on the fundamental either/or selling technique. This time he asked, "One dish of apricots or two?" And in spite of the fact that soldiers don't like Army apricots, 40 per cent took two dishes and 50 per cent took one! 

He had either lowered expectations or raised them and people acted accordingly.

Expect little and receive much.

Have a marvellous day.