It happens to all of us. We learn to conform. We are taught to color within the lines and are praised when we do so. We learn quickly that it is important to dot the “i’s” and cross the “t’s” and we get a star when we get it right. Taking risks become a risk and after a while most folks settle, hoping to not draw attention to our differences. We lose the kid in all of us.

Recently, I had someone ask me “didn’t anyone ever teach you how to hold a pen?” Dear me, I’m close to my retirement years (of course, as with many, the economy will dictate when that happens) and, yes, dearie, someone did teach me to hold a pen. I’ve received praise throughout my life, as a matter of fact, for my lovely handwriting and people have even commented on my notes -dating well back to college days. So, who died and left her the critic on how to hold a pen?  I hold it MY way and it has served me well.

It’s just another example of how we are constantly evaluated and even criticized, particularly if you don’t do it the “right way” or better yet, their way!  What is right, if you are achieving your goals and learning? Would we ever be typing today if someone fixated on how to hold a pencil or pen? How did Thomas Edison ever prevail, I wonder.

I say: “Let go of the should of, would of and could of” and soar to new possibilities. Take a risk all the while saying: “Don’t SHOULD on ME!”