Have the holidays left you with a bit of a hangover?  Not the alcohol induced kind. More of the “what day is it and how much cheese have you eaten today,” kind of situation.

Me too.

We were lucky enough to get to spend a couple of weeks seeing family this holiday season. We went to and fro, near and far. I finally got up to Napa, tasted, and feasted with my eyes. We drove south and ventured north. We did all the things. Which I loved.

But what I didn’t do is set any hard and fast plans for the new year in motion. I didn’t open my calendar and book one thing. I didn’t scheme or set things in motion. Because I was there in that moment. If I would have tried to wedge in “figuring out my 2019” which we ALL know is code for “figuring out my life,” like ALL of Instagram told me to, I would have imploded from the stress of it all.

Big nope.

Why are we talking about this? Because I know there’s a number of you who identify with this theme.

We don’t have to do what others say we must. There’s no law. There’s no right or wrong way to live. No one is going to die from me not sending 5 pitch emails. Rather, when we focus where we are and stay in our joy of the moment we’re doing our highest and best for ourselves. What a concept!

This isn’t just new year talk. It’s an all year round kind of chat we’re having here.

I want us all to throw the collective shoulds out the window. Byeeeeeeeeee! Either we do something or we don’t. It’s our own bottom line. And then I want to talk about why we’re doing something. Whose idea is it? This thing we have been telling ourselves we “should” be doing? Is it you or someone else that planted it down deep long ago?

Think about that. Is it for you? And is it from you?

We’re talking about a small example: The shaming of “getting yourself ready for 2019! Do it! Now!” A small example, but representative of the conversations floating around in our brains.

Who is the voice telling us we need to absolutely do something. Sometimes the source is super straightforward and other times it’s steeped in years old conversations and expectations. I invite you to really consider the source of the shoulds you’re currently battling.

And becoming deliberate and discerning about what we’re allowing to influence us and take space. We all have the choice to throw out the shoulds.

Sweep them out and make a clean break. Maybe this is what 2019 is all about. The year of us. Of you. Whooooooooooooo baby I love this! You with me?