It is noisy in here. Where do I begin? (DW #872)
Feb 23, 2021
As we become aware of our self-critical voices, we can get overwhelmed with the amount of chatter inside our heads.
So if we are to understand and master our self-talk, where exactly do we begin.
Start by noticing how many times you "should yourself".
- "I should be better at this"
- "I should exercise more"
- "I should not be so silly"
- "I should not be so emotional"
As Steve Chandler reminds us, "There is one word that does more damage and creates more victims than any other. It is the word ‘should.’ And you should never use it! (Oh my gosh I just did it. I should be more careful.) ‘Should’ actually reduces your motivation every time you use it. ‘Should’ is the most self-defeating word in the English language. It’s like a tranquilizer to the spirit."
We surely don’t want to take too many "tranquilizers for the spirit".
Once you start noticing how much you should yourself, you will most certainly begin to notice how your mind tells you "you shouldn’t should yourself so much!!"
What do you do then?
Well, for one, you should (ha ha that was intentional) simply notice all the shouldings and move on. Simply acknowledge, nod, and move on.
Remember, if you treat it like a hobby, it can be quite an entertaining pastime!
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