R&W: The weight of "Should"

International, 1 partner, Type 3 (time intensive), cost of 1 stamp to send.

I get Bullet Journal newsletters, and one showed up this past week that I thought others could benefit from as well. So I thought I'd post it as a swap! In the article, they talk about those "shoulds" that take over our thoughts, and suggest a method to help you decide what "shoulds" can be set aside. Hopefully, this link will take you to the actual article. (And yes, I know at the end, there's a bit of an advert - ignore that!)

What's the swap? Take a blank page and divide it into three columns. At the top of the first column write “Working On.” At the top of the second write “Should Be Working On.” At the top of the third write “Want To Be Working On.”

In the first column, list the things that are currently receiving your time and energy, whether you like it or not.

In the second column, write the tasks and expectations that linger in the background of your mind, the ones that make you feel slightly guilty even when you are busy.

In the third column, write what genuinely interests you, what feels meaningful, what you would choose if you were guided by curiosity rather than comparison.

When the page is full, pause and study the middle column. For each item under “Should Be Working On,” ask yourself what would truly happen if you never did it. Would your life fall apart? Or would everything probably still be fine? As you move through the list, you'll find that some items lose their authority once they are examined closely. Crossing one out can feel surprisingly physical, like you just set down a bag you didn’t realize you were even carrying.

The above is copied directly from the newsletter. **After making your lists and follow the steps above, write your partner a letter reflecting on your lists." You don't need to send the actual list, if you don't wish to, and you don't have to share personal information - want to be kind here! But do tell your partner what you learned from this exercise - or didn't learn!

This swap isn't partner specific, so you can work on it ahead of time. Might be helpful to think ahead a bit with this one.

If anyone would like an email version of the swap, please let me know. I'm happy to set it up. Or, if you are an officer, feel free to make a US based or Email version.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Please send me a PM!