Finding Your Self: The Crossroads of SHOULDs and MUST
Set an intention, find your calling and stir the energy in its direction.
One of the most enlightening experiences I have chosen for myself is to join a community of like-minded, open-hearted women who want to change their lives.
Our mind-body-soul guide, the ear to our troubles, gave us the following resource last week.
I have not stopped thinking about it ever since.
“This is a story about two roads — Should and Must.
It’s a pep talk for anyone who’s chosen Should for far too long — months, years, maybe a lifetime — and feels like it’s about time they gave Must a shot”.
“Should is how others want us to show up in the world —
how we’re supposed to think,
what we ought to say,
what we should or shouldn’t do.
It’s the vast array of expectations that others layer upon us.
When we choose Should the journey is smooth, the risk is small.
Must is different—there aren’t options and we don’t have a choice.
Must is who we are,
what we believe,
and what we do when we are alone with our truest,
most authentic self.
It’s our instincts, our cravings and longings, the things and places and ideas we burn for,
the intuition that swells up from somewhere deep inside of us.
Must is what happens when we stop conforming to other people’s ideals
and start connecting to our own.
Because when we choose Must,
we are no longer looking for inspiration out there.
Instead, we are listening to our calling from within, from some luminous, mysterious place.”
1. Set an intention
I cannot highlight enough how much you need to watch this video, but first, set an intention.
Why?
Because intention-setting is your way of seeing the bigger picture and startint to get the energy into motion for what you want to achieve.
I did bookmark the video and I am intending on watching it in different parts of my life - a reminder, I guess, for all the shoulds and the must. I do recommend you to do the same but the point is: Take what you need from it right now.
2. Reflect with compassionate inquiry
Answers are not as important as asking ourselves question, period.
After watching the video, allow yourself to brainstorm what came or comes to mind as “shoulds” and as “musts”.
Just jot down, don’t organise or overthink.
Find uplifting feelings to focus on, tune into your intuition.
The path to my Must started with a recurring dream about a white room.
Concrete floors, white walls, and a mattress on the floor.
That was it.
And I would visit this room practically every night.
One day, a friend asked the question that would forever change the course of my life:
“Have you ever thought about finding your dream in real life?”
I hadn’t, but later, I began to wonder…
3. Vision Board?
Another way to start getting energy into motion is through a vision board!
VISUALIZE the must - the easiest way to literally see your power of choice.
4. Look at it.
Just like we did with the picture of our Inner Child, put the MUST Vision Board as your reminder to make choices that serve you.
What if who we are and what we do become one and the same?
What if our work is so thoroughly autobiographical that we can’t parse the product from the person?
What if our jobs are our careers and our callings?
From my vision to yours,
Katrin
How are there not more likes on this? Great article!