Releasing The Stress Of Expectations And Connecting To Calm - by Clare Downham

COURSE

Releasing The Stress Of Expectations And Connecting To Calm

With Clare Downham

Do you ever feel like you're carrying the weight of the future, where your stress is tied to how you think things should be? This feeling of pressure and overwhelm isn't a personal flaw or a sign that you're not working hard enough. It's a common misunderstanding that what we expect from life, others, and ourselves is a truth we have to live up to. This course is a compassionate invitation to set down that heavy load and find a new way to live. Through a series of reflective lessons and simple insights, we'll explore why our expectations can feel so heavy and how our innocent belief in them creates stress and anxiety. You'll discover that peace isn't something you have to chase or work for, but is always available beneath the noise of your thinking. We'll explore topics like the painful gap between "what is" and "what should be," and learn to see that your body is a wise guide, always letting you know your state of mind. This course is especially helpful for high-achieving professionals and business owners who feel overwhelmed, anxious, and stuck in cycles of overthinking. If you've been trying to fix your feelings with willpower or by controlling external outcomes, you'll find a new, gentler approach here, one that is rooted in insight, not effort. My own journey from burnout as a headteacher taught me that freedom isn't found in managing the mind but in seeing beyond it. You are not broken, and you don't need to be fixed. All that's required is a willingness to be curious and to explore how life works from the inside out.


Meet your Teacher

Clare helps driven professionals and business owners break free from the inner critic, overthinking, and the relentless pressure to do more. Through her courses, live sessions, and one-to-one mentoring, she helps them move from stress and self-doubt into clarity, confidence, and ease. Unlike traditional self-help strategies that rely on endless tools and techniques, Clare’s approach is rooted in the Three Principles understanding. It isn’t about fixing yourself or silencing your inner critic. Instead, she helps you see thought differently, so it no longer runs your life. This simple shift creates lasting calm and confidence without the need for constant effort or self-management. Clare also works with coaches, healers, and entrepreneurs who want to grow a well-run, good-feeling business. She brings together clarity and practical tools so that success becomes easier, decisions feel more aligned, and growth happens without the strain of hustle. Those who work with Clare experience real, lasting transformation. They: • Trust themselves deeply, making clear decisions without second-guessing. • Break free from overthinking, moving forward with ease. • Set boundaries without guilt, creating space for fulfilment and balance. • Lead with confidence, whether in their business, their career, or their personal life. If you’re ready for calm, clarity, confidence, and a business that feels good to run, Clare can guide the way.

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10 Days

92 students

4.7 stars

6 min / day

Acceptance

English


Lesson 1

What If It's Not The Future?

We often spend our days worrying about what might happen next, but what if all of that worry isn't about the future at all? It's easy to believe that our expectations are a truth about what's to come, but they're really just a form of present-moment thinking that's masquerading as certainty. In this first lesson, we'll explore why believing these thoughts can create significant stress and begin to see that the future is simply a story we tell ourselves in the present moment. You'll begin to understand that an imagined future can't hurt you.

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Lesson 2

The Stressful Friction

Have you ever felt that horrible friction between what you thought should happen and what actually did? That friction is the stress of unmet expectations. In this lesson, we will explore why situations aren't inherently stressful and how we create all of our own suffering through resistive thinking. You'll begin to see that life is just "living," and that peace is available when you stop trying to force it to be something it's not.

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Lesson 3

The Gap Between What Is And What Should Be

For high-achievers, the pressure of "should" can feel immense. This lesson will gently explore how the inner critic uses the gap between "what is" and "what should be" to create feelings of shame, pressure, and failure. We'll explore why this gap is made of thought, not truth, and see how this understanding can lessen the mental load and stop the inner critic's vicious cycle.

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Lesson 4

You Are Not A Story

Every expectation you have is a story you are telling yourself. We may not even be aware of these narratives, such as "I should have done this by now," or "they should appreciate me more," but they influence our reality. This lesson will introduce the transformative truth that you are not the stories you tell yourself. You are the awareness in which they appear. This understanding will help you to see the transient nature of thought and stop taking every narrative so seriously.

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Lesson 5

The Body Keeps The Score

Your nervous system doesn't know the difference between the imagined pressure of an expectation and a real threat. The body is always keeping a score of our thoughts, and it responds with a feeling to let us know the state of our mind. This lesson will gently guide you to see that your emotions aren't a flaw but a gift. They are a wise and practical signal to let you know that your thinking is unhelpful and to encourage you to slow down.

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Lesson 6

Peace Is Always Available

What if peace isn't something you have to chase or work for? What if it's always here, simply waiting beneath the noise of your expectations? This lesson will invite you to see that your true nature is peace, clarity, and wisdom. When you stop pressuring yourself to meet expectations, you will find that fresh thought and insight arise naturally. You will find that you already have everything you need to navigate life from a place of presence, not pressure.

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Lesson 7

Dropping The Ruler

We often spend our lives beating ourselves up with our own thinking, and yet we rarely see the thoughts we are using. This lesson will shine a light on this pattern, helping you to see that our suffering is caused by our innocent belief that we have to keep trying to fix or change our expectations. You'll begin to see that freedom doesn't come from getting rid of expectations but from seeing through them. Once seen, they lose their power.

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Lesson 8

The Power Of Presence

Expectation pulls us out of the present moment and into an imagined future. This course has been an invitation to return to the only thing that is truly real: the present. This lesson will gently guide you into the power of presence, not as another thing to master, but as a natural state that's always available. You'll learn to see how fresh action and insight arise from this stillness, rather than from a place of pressure.

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Lesson 9

From Disappointment To Flow

Disappointment can only exist when we have expectations. It's a painful feeling that's rooted in the belief that life should be different from how it is. This lesson will invite you to explore what becomes possible when you learn to allow life to unfold just as it is. You'll begin to experience a sense of flow and ease, as you release the need to control outcomes and instead align with a wisdom that moves in the now.

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Lesson 10

The Wisdom Of Letting Go

As we come to the end of our journey, we will revisit our most profound insight: that you don't need to get rid of expectations, you just need to see them for what they are, just thoughts. This lesson will leave you with a deep sense of peace, as you learn to trust in your innate wisdom and the natural flow of life. You'll know that you are already whole and that your well-being is not dependent on circumstances or outcomes.

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4.7 (11)

Recent Reviews

Chrissie

October 3, 2025

Really enjoyed ur course and the discovery of strengths of me I had not acknowledged. Gonna rummage thru ur site and see what else I can learn about me. Thank you for these new journeys!🙏🏼

Randall

September 27, 2025

The past is passed. A wonderful lesson in the “journey without going anywhere or doing anything” to presence using the 3 principles as sign posts along the way. Clare’s lived experience is relatable for anyone seeking calm during changes….normal days…and your BEST days

Annie

September 24, 2025

Another dynamite course from Clare. I feel like I now have the clarity to begin letting go of expectations I have of those around me that were drilled into my head growing up. I can feel just how much of my distress in the past week alone has come as a result of ruminating on feeling let down by those around me. Off to Letting Go with Ease I go ✨

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