There’s one thing you really should do today and that’s stop shoulding yourself! How many of those things you should do are really necessary? How many of those shoulds make your life more awesome? Do you have the time/energy/money to do more than you’re doing?
Now when I say, or write, “you” I am including myself in that statement because lately I just can’t seem to shake the shoulds. You see, I had this plan. And my plan hasn’t exactly worked out as planned. And that’s mostly okay, but I can’t seem to let go of the plan. I keep shoulding myself as if all those shoulds will get me exactly what I want, even though I know I’m already doing what I can.
Now I know, I know, life rarely goes according to plan. And I know it’s the day-to-day experience of life that counts, not the heft of my portfolio and resume. All that stuff is good, of course, but my portfolio and resume is not my life. This is my life- this right here, sitting at my computer writing this blog post and hoping to convince myself, and maybe even you, to live life and love life.
Photo by Sookie
Goals are good. Plans are good. We need motivation and direction and inspiration to be happy. At least, I do. But I also need to take care of myself, my family, and just enjoy life!
Back to my plan, well, it not working out as planned hasn’t been bad nor has it been especially good. It’s just been. I’m entering a whole new phase of my professional life and everything is different. I tell myself if I do x/y/z then I’m sure to be successful.
Only there’s no guarantee I’ll get the results I want. And even if I did, what is it really worth if I don’t enjoy getting there?
Day-to-day I’m doing the best I can do to embrace and celebrate life. The truth is it’s been hard to adjust to this new direction for my career and adding on a few health problems has made the last few months more of a challenge.
I’m already doing what I can, and it doesn’t really matter what the experts say I should do to be successful. It doesn’t matter what other people think of what I do. It’s my life, and I’m doing what I can with it.
At the end of the day, all I can do is what I can do. And what I can do is enough.
At the end of the day, all you can do is what you can do. And what you can do is enough.
At the end of the day, all you can do is what you can do. And what you can do is enough.
No more shoulds. No more guilt. No more feeling inadequate because you should have done something different, or should have done something more.
Do what you can with what you have, right where you are. Live each day while you’re in it. Find meaning in the experience of the day- not what you have to show for it.
Be happy. Be well. Just be.
