Is a Should Mindset ruling your life?
If you feel trapped, frustrated and have the urge to say ‘No more!’, you may be living in a world of Shoulds.
I get it. Recently I was caught up in this mindset too, which is why I conducted a little experiment.
Actually, it wasn’t little. It involved my husband and I traveling 8,500 kilometres, through 7 countries, over 5 months. We threw caution aside and decided to follow our big, bold travel dreams.
Being told we ‘have to’ do this or we ‘must do’ that got us caught up in this Should Mindset. We felt fed up, out of FLOW and disconnected from a life we loved.
Can you relate?
We needed a big shake up, and this experiment of dream-chasing was it. This was also what sent me on an unintentional sabbatical from blogging, and in to ‘in the moment’ posts on social media.
Now, many months later our experiment is over and I’m back in my home office. I’ve had time to reflect; time to see how this dream-chasing experience tested our willingness to let go of a conditional Should Mindset (and ego).
Here’s what I learned from chasing our BIG, BOLD dreams.
1. Be present in the moment
Embracing the magic and wonderment of a place isn’t always easy. There were times when night fell, it was freezing cold, we were tired, hungry and without a confirmed place to stay. As a result, panic was our default setting and our moods were less than joyful 😬. This is how many believe we Should feel when things seems out of our control.
However, I eventually realised these situations were our teachers.
By noticing my thoughts and reactions, I consciously shifted the energy to move IN TO FLOW. I would take a few deep breaths, find something to be grateful for, shift my mood and add a little laughter. Each time I became present it led to an unexpected magical experience.
2. No routine = Be flexible
In the beginning, my personality believed I Should have a routine. From what I ate, to how I started my day, even down to products I love and use. A few weeks in, I embraced being super flexible as I’d learned there was no room for routine on this dream-chasing experiment. This meant EVERYTHING was different – new languages, different food, unplanned accommodation, changing climates, even a new makeup routine.
My regular, beloved makeup regime was downgraded early in our trip. We were always pushed to leave our hotel on time – emails, breakfast, packing – which meant I had to surrender to simplicity. It encouraged me to look & feel fabulous using a 5 minute quick & easy makeup routine.
That’s right, in just a few minutes I’d move from plain Jane, to SM photo-ready 📸.
Experimenting with no routine is a beautiful way to surrender to the magic of the universe and trust the journey as it unfolds in front of you. This way of living releases all expectations and creates an inner knowing that you’re in the right place at the right time.
In retrospect, a deep part of me knew I had to tackle this BIG, BOLD experiment.
It was my way of telling the universe I’m no longer willing to live up to someone else’s random standards. It is also my way of showing You that you have the power to be SHINE and break free from a Should Mindset too.
Of course, you don’t need to travel the world to shift back in to flow. You simply need to create the intention to follow your heart and then allow your path of least resistance to unfold.
This process will absolutely reconnect you to Source and is the secret to creating a life you love 💜
Stay tuned for my next blog where I’ll share with you my Quick 5 Minute Makeup Routine.