Weary of "Should"

They are just words, but thinking about them differently might lead to better results. I was thinking about the word "should."

I'm not talking about things we always do. I'm talking about less important things, or ways we're trying to improve, such as cleaning or making healthier choices. 

I've heard if you do what you should do 80% of the time, you can do what you want to do 20% of the time and still get positive results. That's probably true.

Doing what I don't want to do has become increasingly intolerable. Not doing something just because someone else thinks I should do it has become easier. Unfortunately, I'm not always getting the results I want.

Of course I've heard the advice that you can change "I should" or "I have to"  into "I get to." Such as, "I get to wash the dishes and do the laundry! Hooray!" Maybe that works for some people.

That's where thinking about things differently and using other words might help. 

Instead of saying, "I should," I could say, "I need to" or "I'm taking the opportunity."

For example, I may not want to cut back on eating so much sugar, but I need to because I want to feel better. I may not want to do the pile of dishes left in the sink over the weekend, but I have the opportunity to do it this morning and I'll feel better if I do. 

I still may not want to, but I know I need to for self respect. If I don't, the negative result wouldn't be worth it. If I don't, it might be contrary to my higher values or desired long-term results. I can take the opportunity to do some things just because they matter to me.

If it's important for the results I want, then regardless of how I feel, it makes sense to do it. I don't have to feel coerced. I don't even have to think about how I feel. I can just do it. Or, if it truly doesn't matter, I can not do it without guilt.

I need to let go of the word "should." If I take the opportunity to focus on the results I want, I will likely experience better results.