I should be...

I should be...
Working out,
Cleaning my closet,
Preparing for a client meeting,
Making a well-balanced dinner every night,
Playing outside with my children, and
Doing anything BUT watching The Real Housewives.

My list goes on and on. Does yours?

There is value in the "should" word, when it motivates us to do something good and productive. However, we rarely feel the motivation, instead we feel the guilt of not doing whatever it is.

Why do we feel guilty? Is it because we know doing whatever it is really is the best thing for us and we are just too lazy to do it? Or, is it because we are trying to keep up with someone else? Both reasons can be motivating and neither is bad. The guilt, however, is bad.

Let go of the guilt and embrace what is best for you. Make your choices. If you want to watch junk TV, go for it. Do it in moderation and don't let the important stuff fall by the wayside. Set your DVR and enjoy that one hour of junk TV as a reward for making the balanced meal or playing a game of wiffle ball in the backyard with your children.

We all have to be responsible for our choices, and as we learned as children, there are consequences to our choices. Listen to your "shoulds." They are probably telling you something important.

If you find yourself saying, "I should be working on that project instead of watching this movie," then you probably know that really is the best thing for you. Wouldn't it be nice to not stay up all night to finish the project? Wouldn't it be great if you could have a nice evening and get enough sleep to knock them dead at the project presentation?

If you find yourself saying, "I should go and charge a $400 purse that I cannot afford so I can look like my coworkers," then you probably know that reasoning isn't smart. Ignore the should and pay attention to the facts. 1. You want to look/be like your co-workers. 2. You don't have $400 to spend freely. Instead of acting on the"should" act on the facts. Save $400 and/or examine your coworkers style and see how you can get that same look on a smaller budget.

You are smart enough to know the difference between the real and the fake "shoulds." The bottom line is knowing if you are ready to act on them responsibly.

Action: Pick one "should" and get started today. Next week, pick two, and so on and so on...