I learned this pithy saying years ago, and it still makes me smile.
So often we “should” on ourselves. We run the list of our “shoulds” – to ourselves or others. “I should answer this email.” “I should volunteer at my kid’s school.” “I should work late even though I’m exhausted.” “I should exercise more often.” “I should sign up for an evening class.” “I should learn a foreign language.” While many of these shoulds are admirable, when we list our shoulds we pile on the pressure (and the self-dislike when we don’t meet our own expectations). In a recent blog post, Hit the pause button, we shared how stepping away from all the “shoulds” in our lives for even a brief moment can help us refresh and come back stronger and with more clarity.
It’s time to stop “shoulding” on ourselves. It’s time to have a more realistic opinion on what we can do and what we have time for. It’s time to say “No” to many of our shoulds, so that we have time and space for the ones that really matter. It’s time to be intentional, thoughtful, and in choice. To do what we choose to do, not what we should do – and to do our best at it.
Where are you “shoulding” on yourself? When will you stop?
Stop shoulding!
