Stop "Should-ing" on Yourself

"Tension is who you think you should be.  Relaxation is who you are."  Chinese Proverb

We are, each of us, on our own journey.  We are who we are-nothing more, nothing less. Should-ing on ourselves only serves to create tension and anxiety.  How much creative energy is lost when our peace of mind is in vapor-lock, overheated by what we think we ought to be, comparing ourselves to those around us?

Yes, should-ing is another thinking error, one we would do good to avoid.  How do we do that, you ask?  Acceptance is the kryptonite of should-ing.  We can tell ourselves, “This is where I am today, and this is what I am doing to get where I want to be tomorrow.”  Goals are set to give a destination to our lives, but we must recognize that the path getting there may be different than what we expect.  Flexibility and acceptance of our personal journey can restore our peace of mind, and then, we can once again be relaxed, creative and happy.