Last night I was cleaning up my Spotify and compiling some new tunes to play in classes when I came across my friend Rory's profile. He had a playlist devoted to all of his Shazam tunes, how smart! For those unsure, Shazam is an app that, with the touch of a button, finds the song that is playing at the moment so you can have it for your records, or to simply figure out what the song is. I decided to look through my Shazam's and follow Rory's lead. This may have been the most fun I've had in a while, ok not really, but it was fun to go back a bit and listen to all the songs that caught my attention over the last year. I highly suggest you give it a go, but be warned the twinge of nostalgia I felt made me a little teary eyed. Also, if you're on Spotify, find me! :)
I didn't title this, 'Should's & ShaZam's,' for the sake of alliteration, I am here to put my foot down. Due to the realization of how much I 'should' or past tense, 'should'ed,' on myself, I am starting to catch on when people around me are too. Should'ing on yourself sounds a bit like this, "Ah I should have been cleaning/food shopping/working out/being productive, but I was so tired, so I napped all afternoon/got a pedicure/binge watched Grey's Anatomy" ...sound familiar?
The incessant critique and judgment of yourself due to the belief you SHOULD be doing something you're not. 9 times out of 10 when we nap/get a pedi/binge watch Netflix it's because our bodies lead us to that activity, nothing stood in our way, and we partake for an hour or two, or even three. I'm here to give you permission to say THAT'S OK. You subconsciously listened to your body. We can't do it all, all the time. I speak for women and men, too! Give yourself a break, seriously, stop trying to do it all because that leads to exhaustion and resentment and complaining and no one wants to be around someone who is exhausted, resentful or complaining.
I'm not saying calling in sick to work is ideal or warranted, I am saying find a little bit of compassion for how much you already do!
When we allow these activities that society may deem "lazy," it often leads to productivity by that same evening or the next morning. The concept of Yin and Yang come in to play here, balance. Night can't exist without day, hot can't exist without cold, and hard work can't exist without REST. I promise when we stop the should'ing or the judgment, your body will immediately feel less tense, less tension leads to more conscious rest, more conscious rest leads to greater energy, greater energy leads to productivity that feels good and welcomed, not forced and half assed.
We've all been there, so, how about together we make the conscious effort to stop. When we catch ourselves, let's take a deep breath, and prioritize and see what happens?! I have a good feeling that if your body is craving the couch, even though it's a beautiful sunny day and you think you "should" be riding your bike/climbing a mountain/paddle boarding...give yourself the couch. Maybe set a timer if you don't feel you comfortable with this new plan. Then see how your body and mind feel...possibly more rested? Possibly not. Either way you're starting to listen to what you want, and the more you listen, the more you start to trust your inner voice, ultimately what's best for us. And if it turns out, it's not best for you, what a cool lesson you've just learned. Either way its a win/win. Constantly learning and tapping into your needs, because your needs are worth it. Love you, LP.
