Stop "Shoulding on Yourself"! Start Treating Yourself Well
"Shoulding" on oneself is a form of thinking about oneself in harsh, unkind, unfair and judgmental ways. Below are three common manifestations of this type of self "shoulding". Also provided are strategies to transform such thinking into healthy, self-loving, self-compassionate, reasonable and empowering attitudes. I. Unhealthy, Negative or "Stinking Thinking": "I Should (do something)" Do you attempt to motivate yourself to accomplish something by telling yourself about what you "should do" (or other obligatory and self-judgmental terms, such as "ought to", "got to", "must" and "need to", etc.)? This for of thinking is self-critical and unkind toward self. Instead, it sets you up to fight internally because you hear yourself commanding yourself to perform. This places undue pressure on oneself and results in added stress. I. Healthy, Self-Compassionate and Self-Loving: "I Want"...