I Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda
You know those words: “I should have done that but”, “I would have been that but” or “I could have gone there but…..” Should — Would — Could are words I’ve determined to get out of my vocabulary this year because they represent the past and that past is behind me AND they represent hesitation to move forward.
I’m going to take the “shoulds” off the table because I want to wake up each morning and have a true purpose in each new day. I want to take on projects and activities and be able to say “yes” to opportunities that open the door to new friendships and new adventures. While I thoroughly enjoy myself as my best friend and could stay in my own presence and be quite contented, I enjoy participating in activities with people that I’ve come to enjoy their presence, too. If I kept to myself, I would never have the sweet friendships and relationships with others that I have today.
My husband and I made many missions trips to Mexico and Belize. There were always English-speaking people there that could translate for us, but over the years I’ve longed to be able to speak Spanish. I am more determined than ever to learn – especially because of the Spanish-speaking people in my sphere of influence. I am on the foreign language app, Duolingo, and everyday for up to an hour at a time, I will practice, learning a new word or phrase each day. In fact, I am on a 228-day streak – not missing a day to practice. I am determined. No more do I wish I could, would or should……because I AM doing it!
With “shoulds” eliminated, we can wake up each morning with a true purpose and intent on forgetting the past and making the most of each new day. Instead of saying I should do this. I should do that. I shouldn’t feel this way, I’m going to make statements like “I will do this. I will do that. I will not have those feelings.”
I thought “What can replace the ‘shoulds’ in my life?” It is gratitude. For example, I took a power nap the other day and when I woke up, I thought “I should have finished inputting those records.” Then I came to myself and whispered, “Thank you, God, for that nap gift. I must have really needed it.” I got up and finished my work.
‘Should, would, could in my life are trickster and fibber words. I have decided that I won’t be speaking their names this year. Instead, I’m choosing, “I will, I can, I am”. I choose to live with no regrets because there isn’t a thing we can do about the past. We can lament a missed opportunity for years that can weigh down our hearts like a steel anchor. “If I had only…” has nothing to do with talent; it is simply the result of courage or procrastination.”
Those people – the shoulda coulda woulda folks – are not you and me. We are destined to leave an indelible mark on the world, if we have the will to make it happen. We’ll never know what we are truly capable of until we unleash our passion and give ourselves permission to go, do, and be creators. I don’t know about you, but when I get to the end, I hope I’ll have more battle scars and fewer regrets. May we seize the day and never, ever be shoulda, coulda, woulda people!
“I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13