It's time we kicked âshouldâ to the curb. Should is a word that implies obligation and expectation and often comes as a box set thatâs gift-wrapped in guilt and even shame. Itâs also a word that implies an open-endedness and the absence of a decision. It describes possibility rather than reality. âI should go to the gymâ is not the same as âIâm going to the gym.â âIâm going to the gymâ is definitive. Youâve got a plan and youâre executing that plan. Thereâs no feeling involved, itâs simply a commitment.
âShouldingâ ourselves is a major energy drain, as it compels us to split focus. Weâre forcing our minds to be in two places at once. Weâre never truly in the moment if we allow thoughts of should to be telling us a story of another choice that might have been made.
âShouldâ creates a divide between what youâre expected to do and what you want to do. If you are saying the word should, but really mean something different, you are penalizing yourselfâwhich over time will deplete you.
- Do you think pinpointing the âshouldsâ will help you be happier/more present?
- What âshouldâ you do that makes you feel guilty?
Link: http://www.health.com/mind-body/word-to-ban-from-self-talk