Pressure
I had a Psychology class the other day in which the teacher began by asking the difference between saying “Today I will…” And “Today I have to…”
The ‘I will’ statement is a positive choice, whereas with the ‘I have to’ has more negative connotations.
I wake up every day with a whole list of ‘I have to’s’. I wake up and think that I have to shower, I have to find something to eat at lunch, I have to go to school, I have to come home and ride my horse and go hunting and watch whatever is on TV that night. I have to write on my blogs, I have to call back the friend I haven’t called in weeks. I have to I have to do my homework, research something for an assignment, and think up something interesting to do with the kids at work.
Tonight I came home after a rather rewarding day at work looking forward to riding my horse. For the first time in weeks, I thought: I’m not going to worry about honing my equestrian skills today. I’m not going to worry that I seem to have lost any and all muscle tone in my legs, or that I can’t get the pony on the bit or into a frame for more than ninety seconds at a time. I will not be frustrated in aiming for ninety seconds of perfection in every hour, because two months ago, I lived for those ninety seconds.
Is there anything you could say “I get to” instead of saying “I have to” about?
September 27th, 2007 at 9:03 am
The neat thing is we can turn most of our “I have to” to “I get to”–all we need is a positive attitude. Sure, you may not want to get that uncomfortable gynecological exam, but you get to do something positive for your health.
I’m going to try and change all my “have tos” to “get tos” today.
June 11th, 2009 at 9:32 am
There is obviously a lot to know about this. I think you made some good points in Features also.