Hello, and welcome back to Podcast and Chill on the Learn English Podcast channel. I'm Leo. And I'm Gwen. It's great to see you all again. Our beloved viewers, how is your life these days?
Are you working or going to school? Have you ever wanted to get good grades or get promoted at work? I think yes. All of us have experienced such feelings.
And surely... Those desires can come from two common phrases, expectation and pressure. But I can see that some people might not clearly understand what expectation and pressure mean. So in today's episode, we will help the audience better understand these words.
Absolutely. Let's dive into today's fascinating topic on expectation and pressure. Today, we're going to talk about something that affects all of us.
Expectations and pressure. That's right, Gwen. These two words might seem similar, but they are quite different. Let's start with expectations.
Expectations are the beliefs or hopes we have about how something should be or how someone should behave. For example, we might expect our friend to be on time for our meeting. Exactly.
Expectations can come from ourselves, from others, or from society. They can be positive or negative, realistic or unrealistic. Now, let's talk about pressure.
Pressure is the feeling of stress or tension that comes from expectations or demands. Yes, when we feel like we have to meet certain expectations, it can create a lot of pressure. This pressure can come from work, family, friends, or even ourselves. Too much pressure can be harmful.
It can lead to anxiety, burnout, and... even health problems. That's why it's important to manage our expectations and the pressure we put on ourselves and others.
Could you tell us about some common sources of pressure we all face in our daily lives? Hmm. First, let's talk about family.
For many of us, our families can be a big source of pressure. Yes, parents often have high expectations for their children, whether it's related to academic performance, career choices, or personal life decisions. Society can also be a source of pressure.
We constantly hear messages about how we should look, behave, or live our lives. Let's look at some life-related words. Realistic, meaning seeming true or likely to happen in real life. Example, it would not be realistic for the government to demand a pay freeze in the sector at this point.
Demand, meaning a strong request for something, something that someone really needs. Example, the management had no intention of meeting union demands. Performance, meaning how well a person, machine, etc. does a job or activity.
Example, this was one of the band's rare live performances. Target, meaning a goal or result. that you try to achieve.
Example, the university will reach its target of 5,000 students next September. Standard, meaning a level of quality that people agree is acceptable. Example, there's been a fall in living standards. Why can social media increase peer pressure?
Social media often shows only the best parts of people's lives, not the whole truth. This can make us feel like we need to be as perfect as others. Seeing only perfect pictures and stories can make us unhappy with our own lives and try to do the same as our friends.
What does self-compassion mean? Self-compassion means being kind to ourselves when things are difficult and being patient. It's important to remember that making mistakes or facing challenges is normal.
We should be as kind to ourselves as we would be to a good friend. You know, too much pressure and expectations put on us can really weigh us down. You're right, Leo.
Unrealistic expectations, whether from family, friends, or society, can become an unhealthy pressure. I can see how that heavy feeling of trying to meet everyone else's expectations could make us feel exhausted. And when we feel weighed down by others'expectations, it's hard to feel good about ourselves.
So, how can we protect ourselves from this kind of unhealthy pressure? First, we need to recognize which expectations are reasonable or unreasonable for our own lives. You mean, figure out what's truly important to us, rather than just following what others expect?
Yes. We should prioritize our own wants and goals over the expectations that don't match them. That's a great way to put it, Leo.
We also need to practice saying no politely sometimes. You mean feel confident to say no sometimes without feeling bad? Yes, exactly. Don't be afraid to say no.
It is okay sometimes. You need to protect your emotions from unrealistic or excessive expectations and pressure. The key is to communicate openly and openly. honestly about our expectations in relationships.
We should be willing to compromise and adjust our expectations when necessary. And it's crucial to remember that people are not mind readers. If we don't express our expectations clearly, it's unfair to hold others accountable for not meeting them.
Let's look at some life-related words. Unhealthy, meaning not good for someone's health. Example, there are healthy and unhealthy ways to express angry feelings.
Exhausted, meaning extremely tired. Example, by the time they reached the summit, they were exhausted. Emotion, meaning a strong feeling such as love or anger. Example, like a lot of men, he finds it hard to express his emotions. Acceptable.
meaning something that most people in a society agree is okay. Example, it is perfectly acceptable for you as an employee to say no. Express, meaning to show a feeling, opinion, or fact.
Example, her eyes expressed deep sadness. And that brings us to the end of today's podcast episode. Thank you all for joining us today. Remember, the key to a fulfilling life is balancing love and career.
Don't forget to check the free PDF in the description for more useful vocabulary. Goodbye, and we look forward to seeing you in the next episodes.