"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 MyHemophiliaTeam 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 MyHemophiliaTeam:

• "Thank you for adding me to your group. I hope to learn a lot. With what I have learned I should have a pretty good story at the end of the journey at Vanderbilt."
• "I am so glad that I was recommended to this site because we kind of feel like a little island and no one really understands unless we are in the hemophilia clinic."

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