We sometimes mistakenly associate our freedom with freedom from expectations.
We tell ourselves that their expectations are holding us back from being free, from doing what we want, and from being who we want because what they want from us and who they expect us to be limits our ability to have things utterly and uninhibitedly our way.
If only they knew who we are, how special we are, and how entitled we are, they would stop getting in our way, the seas would part for us, and we would proceed forth in righteousness and glory to what is rightfully ours.
Not only is this a deludedly childish and selfish way to view ourselves and the world, but it is also an extremely unrealistic way to think about life.
Just like we have expectations for other, others will inevitably have expectations for us and, if we want something from them, if we want something they have, or if they stand in between us and what we want, we are going to have to meet those expectations.
There is no way around this.
No matter how important, wealthy, or powerful we become, we will always have to face and deal with the expectations of others.
Freedom, then, is accepting this and aligning our attitude, our will, and our intentions in the direction of living up to these expectations in such a way that we are not fighting everyone and everything along the way.
As long as the expectations that others have for us are reasonable, moral, and just, we are not losing anything along the way, least of all our freedom or our integrity.
In fact, what we gain in experience and in relationships along the way will probably make our lives infinitely better in the long run anyway.