Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Rebelling Against the Shoulds

Jackson{via pinterest}

It's been a while since I've blogged.  Three weeks to be exact.  And while I thought about saying, "Things have been busy," I decided against it.  Because, in all honesty, they haven't been that much busier than normal.  Sure, work has been a bit hectic, we've been traveling, and I'm back to working at Ann Taylor for the holiday season, but things haven't been too crazy.  The truth is, in the past few weeks, I've adopted a new mentality.  I've decided to rebel against the "shoulds" lately, letting go of all the things I think I "should" do, instead focusing on the things I want to do.  Instead of thinking, "I should blog tonight," I've decided to enjoy my evenings at home with Matt.  Instead of thinking, "I should curl my hair," I've embraced messy hair on the weekends.  Instead of thinking, "I should do laundry," I've been fine to reach into the back of my closet for less worn items.

The "shoulds" often get us into trouble.  They cause us to give priority to things that society or someone else value, rather than the things we value.  The "shoulds" serve as that nagging voice, trying to make me feel guilty for what I'm not doing well, rather the things I am doing well.  The "shoulds" cause me to live in the future, rather than existing in the present.  The "shoulds" drain joy from the moment, sacrificing spontaneity.  So as we enter this holiday season, I'm choosing to rebel against the "shoulds," putting aside what others want from me and focusing on what makes me happy.

Do the "shoulds" get you into trouble?  If so, will you rebel with me and embrace the life you truly dream of?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I will absolutely join you! I ♥ this post and have been thinking the same thing lately.

Straight A Style said...

Great post! I find myself caught up in the "shoulds" far too often. Thanks for the reminder.

Unknown said...

I've been rebelling against the shoulds for a few months already. I will join you in an official rebellion!

Light the torches and grab a pitch fork, lets bring this mother down! (made me happy to say it, even if I shouldn't have...)

Brady said...

I think this is ESPECIALLY important around the holidays! Last year, I had a broken ankle over Christmas. I actually think I enjoyed December MORE because I had an excuse to not do all the things I thought I "should." It was much more peaceful and relaxing.

Alan said...

Thanks for the reminder Dr. A. I feel I just saved $50 on a counseling session. :)