Are You “Should”-ing All Over Yourself?
Is your day filled with a bunch of “shoulds” that never get done?
I should pay the bills.
I should exercise.
I should organize my emails.
I should set social media boundaries for my daughter.
I should take a shower (a popular one with work from home.)
The last thing you need right now is to feel more pressure! But that is exactly what you are doing to yourself when you create a “should” list of things you are supposed to do or feel obligated to do. This causes feelings of frustration, overwhelm, and exhaustion.
When “shoulds” creep in, focus on why the task is important and how completing it will benefit you. By reframing your thoughts to a “want to,” you are now choosing to do the task because you have become aware of the benefits.
Your energy will shift from feeling pressured to engaged.
Let’s take the above examples:
Instead of, “I should pay the bills,” try “I want to pay the bills so that I don’t incur late fees.”
Instead of, “I should exercise,” try “I want to exercise so I can live a long, healthy life.”
Instead of, “I should set social media boundaries for my daughter,” try “I want to set boundaries so that my daughter gets relief from social pressures.”
Language is a powerful energy determiner. Changing your language changes your reality.
When we are in a choice mindset, we feel grounded, engaged, and empowered. Even if the task at hand seems daunting, by changing our perspective, we can generate motivation.
This is an incredible energy shift!
The next time you are "should"-ing yourself, reframe your language and make it something you want to do. You've got this! Let me know how it goes.
“The voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”
—Marcel Proust
