The Musts

MUST exercise.  SHOULD avoid eating too much sugar.  MUST sleep.  SHOULD be more on top of the ins and outs of the debt crisis.  MUST deeply know and understand my children.  SHOULD get to know the neighbors better.  MUST do a good job at what’s on my plate today.  SHOULD volunteer more.  MUST do work I believe in.  SHOULD have a career path.  MUST feel sunshine during the day.  SHOULD finish one more work task.    

The health and well-being information around us can be overwhelming.  With so much access to such incredible stories of physical, mental, and spiritual strength, it’s easy to be hard on ourselves.  Our inner critic is often just around the corner.  And without even realizing we’re doing it, we translate “wow, that’s amazing” into “I should be doing that.”  I should be training for a marathon.  I should be following a paleo diet.  I should be more productive.  I should be eating more chia seeds.  I should be superhuman.

So here’s a simple thought for today — one I had to really focus on today to find quiet in the noise around me:

Silence the “shoulds” and hold on like hell to the “musts.”

Get in touch with your body.  Figure out what makes you strong.  Learn what you can from the “shoulds,” but in the end, anchor on the “musts.”