Lightfully Behavioral Health’s Post

Ever feel overwhelmed by all the 'shoulds' in your life? (What you 'should' do, how you 'should' look, how you 'should' feel, etc.) If you answered "yes," you are not alone. We sometimes refer to this phenomenon as "shoulding," a sneaky form of self-criticism that often leads to feelings of guilt, inadequacy, anxiety or even depression. Named by psychologist Clayton Barbeau, "shoulding" refers to a cognitive distortion involving self-imposed pressure to meet unrealistic expectations. When individuals habitually fixate on "shoulds," this distortion becomes almost automatic, making it difficult to remain attuned to one's own needs, wants, priorities, and values. "Should" is extremely burdensome word for a lot of us, but it's possible to make a change. If you're ready to stop shoulding yourself, a good first step is to simply to recognize when it happens and work to challenge these thoughts. (For example, instead of saying "I should be eating better," you might try, "I will focus on finding more nutritious foods that I enjoy.") With practice, patience you can learn to replace shoulding with self-compassion. ❤️ #anxiety #shoulding #stopshouldingyourself #depression #comparison #selfcare #selfcompassion #Lightfully #CBT #therapy #mentalhealth #behavioralhealth #tgif

  • Hey, it's time to stop "shoulding" yourself.

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