I could have done this…

I should have done that…

I would have done this other thing…

Could have, should have, would have – all this pressure we put on ourselves, daily. I need this. I need that. I need you to…

So, that year in counseling, one of the things we talked about was “need to”, what we really need to do on a daily basis. My friend Kate and her family are good at reminding me and others about this to, what we really need to do, what our obligations really are. Other people put obligations on us all the time, but it’s our own choice whether or not we accept them as such.

The only thing I need to do is live. If I want to get along with others, I should consider respecting them and treating them nicely. If I want to live in a clean house, I should consider cleaning it. If I want others to value a clean house as important, then I should ask them to help. It, however, is their choice to say no.

Okay, this post is totally derailed. I need to expand some religious thoughts. But, the point of this one was simply: we don’t need to do anything, so we should stop telling ourselves we need to. We have reasons we want other things done, and that’s okay, but it’s not a need – it’s a want. Even the dishes and cleaning the bathroom and laundry.