How many times a day do we say “I have to…”? For many of us, it’s many! The phrase “have to” reeks of obligation, shoulds and all kinds of heavy experiences. And I get it! As adults, there are a lot of things we have to do AND (you knew it was coming!) many of the things we have to do are also things we “get to” do. Meaning they are gifts, opportunities, privileges, blessings, whatever you’d like to call them. We have to feed our cat several times a day AND we know what a privilege it is to do so especially after losing one of our beloved cats recently. Saying “We get to feed our cat several times a day.” exhibits gratitude for the task. Shifting “I have to go to work.” to “I get to go to work.” feels lighter to my inner landscape. Less of a burden on my nervous system.

I invite you to try it! What is something or a few things you can shift from “I have to” to an “I get to”? Consider pairing this with a thought triangle. Write your new thought down, then the feelings that come from that new thought and then imagine what you might say and do with those new thoughts and feelings! Remember, we aren’t sticking our heads in the sand with this strategy. We are simply inviting more lightness and joy into our lives which ALL of us need more of. A lot more!