“should”

Happy Home Life Tip #11

I lived 50+ years thinking what I “should do”, others “should do”, or what “should happen”.

Even though living in the world of “should” often came with a lot of pressure and disappointment, I stubbornly clung to the premise of how things “should be”.

When I went on a trip I’d think:

I should pack perfectly and very lightly

the plane should be on time

my husband should chat with me more

other travelers should be polite

we should be happy every minute of the trip

But when I trained to be a life coach, 

and the curriculum required me to ask,  

“What if nothing should be a certain way”? 

I let go of “should” then and there.

And it was so freeing!!

I realized I hadn’t only been putting pressure on myself, I’d also been waiting for others to conform…which is silly because it’s impossible to control anyone but myself!

This week, when we took our much anticipated trip to visit two of our sons, I did not pack “should”!

I ended up…

Expecting travel inconveniences and accepting them with ease instead of anxiety

Expecting fellow travelers to act however they wanted to 

Enjoying chatting with my husband when he felt like conversing, and talking to others, or reading, when he didn’t

Accepting the weight of a heavier bag and bringing a greater variety of clothing than usual

Not worrying if extended family members enjoyed me visiting or not, but just enjoyed my time with them

It was one of the best trips I even had!

If you’d like some guidance on letting go of  “should” in your life, I’d love to show you how.

Hugs,
Krista

Photo:  Enjoying warm weather and family in Charleston, SC