271. Who Said You Should?

Who Said You Should?

How often do you say or think the word should without even noticing?

I should probably exercise. Maybe I should call her. I should be further along by now. I should have this figured out. I’m thinking should be doing more.

We all have shoulds. But have you ever stopped to ask where yours came from?

In this episode of Encouragement for Real Life, Julie begins a new series, The Shoulds We Live By, with one simple question:

Who said you should?

Should itself isn’t necessarily the problem. There are responsibilities we need to fulfill. There are commitments we’ve made. And there are things God asks us to do.

The problem comes when we live by a should without ever questioning where it came from.

Julie explores some of the places our shoulds originate. They can come from other people, culture, comparison, our past, and even standards we’ve created for ourselves. Some come from God. Those are the ones we want to recognize and follow.

These expectations can quietly affect our choices. They influence how we spend our time. They can even affect how we feel about ourselves and our lives. And sometimes a should that was once true may not be true for us today.

So this week, Julie invites you to just pay attention. Notice when you hear yourself say, “I should,” “I probably should,” or “I shouldn’t.” Write it down. Then ask: Who said I should? You don’t have to figure out what to do with every should yet. Just notice them.

Julie also introduces her new printable workbook, I Should Probably, created to help you uncover the shoulds you may not realize you’re living by and begin identifying where they came from.

Maybe it’s time to take a closer look at the expectations you’ve been living by.