I should be thinner. I should do more housework. I should mow my lawn more often. I should stick up for myself more. I should wash all toxic people right out of my hair. I should not let people get to me. I should keep my opinions to myself. I should train my dog, wash my car, learn to wear makeup, toughen up, be more girly, shut up and take it, and for God’s sake, stop asking so many questions.
At some point in my life, all of these things have been said to me, quite often more than once. And then a funny thing happens. I start saying all those things to myself. I am great at beating myself up. That should be the first item on my resume.
I’m just curious about that foggy transition period. How do external criticisms become internalized? It’s as if they get injected into your very soul, and somehow you don’t even feel the puncture.
I think “should” is the most toxic word in the English language. It implies that what you’re doing isn’t good enough. It says you have good reason to be stressed out and depressed. It adds a whole host of unwritten items to your to-do list, thus insuring that you’ll never have a genuine feeling of accomplishment. It’s a judgment, and you’ll never be found innocent.
I think the only thing we should do in this world is stop saying should.
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Hey Barb!!! Albert Ellis said “don’t should on yourself”. I got to meet him once. A nasty, impatient old curmudgeon. But he makes sense.
Hey Steve! Very cool!
One perk with getting old is I no longer think “I Should”. I have a few “I Wish”, but “No Regrets” is my Mantra ,I am ready for the “Beam Me Up”.
Good attitude, my friend, but don’t rush it! I’d like to keep you for a while longer. 🙂
Life is too short for shoulds. I will or won’t. I make a commitment, one way or the other, based on who I am and move on. I trust I know my own needs. Peoples opinions are their opinions, not mine. Theirs don’t shape me. When they see that, the toxic ones disappear and the rest just accept. It took over 50 years of being a lump of clay, constantly molded by others, before I dared to shape myself.
And you’ve made yourself a beautiful person, Lyn!