Expectations v Needs

I receive a variety of e-newsletters everyday, but one of my favorites comes from Refinery29. It's a good mix of news, fashion, finance, and celebrity gossip, and is written well. Today they featured a Q&A with this guy Kevin Lynch who only used AirBnB for an entire year while traveling for work in China.  (Here is his instagram account- YearBnB) Lynch made a statement that really stood out to me:

"Too often, we focus only on our expectations rather than our needs. This week, the lock on the front door was really difficult to open. Now, I could send a tweet expressing my dismay over the lock, post a status update about my terrible, terrible day, or send off a missive to Airbnb wondering why they would possibly allow this BS in their community. Or, I could fidget with the lock for a few more minutes until the front door opens. My expectation is that a front-door lock should be easy, and it wasn't. But, my need was for the front door to open, and it did."

How often do we get caught up in what EXPECT, instead of what we truly only need. I love his example of the door lock, because it's a testament to the powers of patience. There is never any reason to let a simple thing like a jammed door lock get the best of your day, it's a waste of energy and emotions. So many times we as a society take for granted what we have when so many others suffer from lack of need.

I constantly am in a battle with my roommate over the thermometer. She likes it set to 64, I hate to be cold so bump it up to 68 (or 70, depending on my mood). Sometimes I get internally grumbly about these things, but what is the point? I live in a great house with working heat. I have extra clothes I can put on if I'm cold. There are so many other people out there who are homeless and ride the bus around the city just to fill their need for warmth. I should focus on how lucky I am that my basic needs are met, instead of expecting more, more, more.

What situations do you often find yourself in where you let your expectations get the best of your needs?