Expectations! Expectations! Expectations! They always always always trip me up. I don't know how to squash them... to stymie them... to stamp them. Why must I learn only when I fall to the ground? Shouldn't I know already... it is useless to expect? But I still keep falling into the trap...

I have realised over time that I need to do everything I can to protect myself from the wrong people. By 'wrong' people I don't mean the people are wrong but they do not have the sensitivities to make me feel comfortable enough or securely vulnerable. The fact that I have a hard head can be a bit misleading. But the softer your heart, the more chances people will take selfish advantage, and the more you have to do to protect it. These days I am a bit more wary and try to stay away from people who give me the wrong vibes. You could say people in general are not perfect but I think there's a basic values affinity that needs to be there. If that's not there, they have to be out. Your heart is too precious to be risked. And by heart I just mean that as a sensitive person, people have no idea how they can hurt you. Maybe without meaning to sometimes but that just means they don't have what it takes—the sensibilities, the affinities, the self-awareness, the quality of spirit, whatever one might call it. It might mean you have to interact with fewer people but I guess here as everywhere, quality must trump quantity. Diamonds are rare but you can't wear a stone for that reason :)