"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 MyMigraineTeam 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 MyMigraineTeam:

• "I'm learning to accept that I'm just always going to be in pain at some level and trying to teach myself that acceptance isn't a defeat."
• "Yet another night with very little sleep where I woke up feeling exhausted. At least I'm working at my part-time job today. I love everyone I work with and they never make me feel bad for showing up in comfy clothes with no makeup on because they know somedays I can't even make it out of bed. Their support over the several months I've been here has been the best."
• "It's a beautiful day, dry, cool and breezy. I have been doing well, with a mild attack of Friday and a blitz attack this morning. I have discovered that some of my triggers are definitely stronger than other and the smell of gasoline is one of them. Once I was away from the smell for a short while I felt much better. I hope everyone has enjoyed a pain-free day."

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