I Don't Need To Be...

By Susan Stay

Take a pen and piece of paper and write these words on the top, “I don’t need to be, “ 
Most of us have written lists of what we need to be in order to be successful, worthy, good enough or acceptable.  I will share the list that I wrote when attending a workshop at  The Psychotherapy Networker Symposium in Washington D.C. facilitated by Daniel Leven, MPC, RSMT.    Dan’s workshop was entitled, “Awakening Your Heart. -A day of movement, meditation and dance.”   

The title is Scary stuff for a woman that sits in her brain day in and day out.  The top of my paper says, who I need to be?    We therapist’s are all about change so I made the assumption that I needed to be something, other.  

It was freeing  to consider that I don’t need to be the laundry list of pressures I place upon myself. I will share my list with you.

I DON’T NEED TO BE

·      Coordinated

·      Intelligent

·      Calm

·      Friendly

·      Mindful

·      Encouraging

·      Self-less

·      Organized

·      Non-judgmental

There was something magical about not needing to be those things.  By setting myself free from what I believed I needed to be I was able to be all of them (in moments) for the rest of the day.   I had moments of real magic when I was able to let go and dance.   Try this.  You don’t need to be…Perfect.