"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 MyEndometriosisTeam 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 MyEndometriosisTeam members:

• "Hope we can all help each other in this journey and give faith and hope to ourselves knowing that were not fighting this battle alone ..we have an Army of strong women who have a will to fight. Hope I can inspire just one of you ladies. Sending my love and prayers to all."
• "Look forward to sharing this journey with all of you. I've tried these support groups in the past, but none were specific for endometriosis."
• "Since joining this forum, I have discovered that my diet is linked to my pain/inflammation episodes. At the end of the day, every woman’s journey is different, but I wanted to share in case this helps someone else manage their pain, too."

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