We’re All Doing A Joey

“Could I BE wearing any more SHOULDS?!”

FRIENDS - Warner Brothers

Even if you aren't a fan of the TV show FRIENDS, you've heard of it.  If you haven't, take a moment and unsubscribe.  We can't be friends if you don't know FRIENDS.  I'm as serious as Ross' love for Rachel.  Or Monica's love for food.  Or Phoebe's infatuation with Smelly Cat.

The difference between Joey wearing all of Chandler's clothes and us, my friends, is you can see Joey's many layers with your eyeballs 👀.  Shoulds are invisible to the eye, but show up disguised as restlessness, pleasing, perfectionism, to name a few.  Layer upon layer - gym shorts on top of sweatpants on top of tighty whities - they make us sweat, feel claustrophobic in our own lives and panic...stripping down so we can breathe.  (Usually stripping down makes me panic, not the other way around.  How 'bout you?! 🤣)

The opportunity we all have is to look in the mirror.  Yes, literally.  Look yourself in the face and start by acknowledging your innate badassness.  No buts, no justs, no BS.  Fake it til ya believe it if you have to.  It works.

THEN - believe that one day you can strip Joey down and giggle as he runs through Times Square buck naked.  That Joey doesn't give a flying corndog what he should or shouldn't do.  He just goes for it.  You can be that Joey.

NEXT - try taking off one of Chandler's shirts.  What does it represent?  Is it your boss's utterly profane expectation?  Or your own story that you should be able to do it all?  Sit with the SHOULD, ask yourself (and be honest!) about where it came from.  Does it serve your highest good?  If it does, great!  Fold it and place it in your closet.  If it doesn't, toss it in the dirty laundry bin and think about the best way to clean it up.  (Coaches are great at sorting dirty laundry.)

It's overwhelming, but guess what?!  It doesn't have to happen overnight.  All you need to know now is the process is 1,000,000% worth it.  And those layers of SHOULDS are covering up your signature self - the one the world needs to meet.  

Now start sorting your laundry.  You look great naked.  😉  We all do.