We have a funny word in the English language that really gets us into a pickle sometimes. It's the word "should". This small but mighty word has a lot of weight to it and the words that follow this one are beliefs and attitudes that are completely made up. What's even crazier, is that these "should" statements often take priority over what is actually true. I have a couple of personal stories about this that I'd like to share. They are times when "should"completely masked what my body was trying to tell me. I know we all can relate.
Pain in the neck. I like experiments. When I heard there were actually people that used a pillow filled with buckwheat, of course I had to try it. I found one on Amazon with good reviews so I ordered it. That thing was SO uncomfortable. I mean, it hurt from day one. It smelled like buckwheat. It felt like buckwheat. It was terrible. But what did I think instead? "I should keep using this pillow because it got good reviews so obviously other people like it and I already spent the money. People that use buckwheat pillows are more earthy and I'm earthy too. I'm going to wait it out for a week." Let me tell you, I had to seriously work through the resulting neck pain for a long time after that. Had I listened to my body immediately, it could have been avoided.
The monster blister. When 5-finger shoes exploded on the scene many years ago, I had to try some. I didn't have toe socks at the time so I put them on barefoot and decided to jog in the grass in Byrd Park. Those shoes rubbed my foot like you wouldn't believe but instead of stopping, I thought, "I should keep running in these because people that have an efficient gait can tolerate these shoes and I will be more earthy (see a theme here?)." I had a monster blister on the arch of both feet after that whopping 15 minute jog in those silly shoes. All because I was trying to outrun my "should".
Here are some other examples of "shoulds" that we might listen to instead of listening to our bodies:
I should wear these minimal zero-drop shoes because people that have good feet wear them.
I should keep going to this fast-paced yoga class because that's what fit, relaxed, and healthy people do.
I should run this fast all the time because faster runners are more respected.
I should go on a vegan diet because that's what healthy people do.
I should take this supplement because that's what this professional football player takes.
I should keep using this chair because my favorite blogger likes it and they have great taste.
I should keep doing this exercise because this influencer said it's the only way to keep my back healthy.
As you can see, the attitudes and beliefs we have of certain things are completely made up either by ourselves, our family, our community, or society. If your body is trying to tell you that certain gadgets, activities, or foods are not working for you, listen up! Yes we are similar, but we are also different. Our genetics are different, our past experiences are different, and the microbiome in our guts are different. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa. Your body is wise and is constantly giving you feedback that speaks in languages of sensations, moods, and functions. I encourage you to tune in and see if your "shoulds" match what's true.
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