GO Month: Mental Clutter - S

Let's celebrate Get Organized (GO) Month by ridding ourselves of mental clutter from A to Z!

To celebrate Get Organized (GO) Month I'm doing a series of posts on the mental clutter that can be just as pervasive as physical clutter. For each letter, I'll talk about a mental stumbling block that often impacts our well-being.

Let's focus on S ... Shoulds

At least weekly when I'm meeting with my agency clients or my organizing clients I find myself saying in session - "You're shoulding on yourself again!"

What does that mean exactly?

It means that you're constantly telling yourself what you should be doing instead of what you want to be doing. Unfortunately, when you keep doing this it often leads you to feel overwhelmed and guilty and this can lead to feeling stuck. And let's face it when you feel stagnant and are pushing those shoulds on yourself the less likely you are to really do them!

Some common shoulds include:

You should give back.

You should be productive.

You should get more organized.

You should exercise more.

You should be happier.

You should drink less.

Whatever shoulds you may have, the underlying message is always the same, that you should be better.

Here's the deal - You are ENOUGH.

• Frequently ask yourself Am I doing this because I want to or because I think I should?

• Ask Why do I think I should be doing this right now and what am I afraid of if I don't get it done?

• Schedule a 'should-free zone' weekly if not daily

• Swap out I should be... for I'm where I need to be right now...

• Physical touch calms the nervous system so literally give yourself a hug or put your hands on your heart to remember what's most important

"Let go of who you think you should be in order to be who you are. Be imperfect and have compassion for yourself."

Brene Brown

Here's to freeing ourselves from the mental clutter of shoulds!

Please share with someone who needs a clearer mindset.

featured image by Free-Photos from Pixabay