Why It's Important To Do What You Need To Do Rather Than What You Should Do | The Odyssey Online
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Health and Wellness

Why It's Important To Do What You Need To Do Rather Than What You Should Do

When you listen to what you need and act upon that instead of acting based on what you feel like you should be doing, you will live a healthier and happier and stress-free life.

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Why It's Important To Do What You Need To Do Rather Than What You Should Do
Theresa Carcaldi

Oftentimes, I feel stuck between what I should be doing and what I need to do. In the past, I've always leaned towards what I should be doing rather than what I need to be doing. This could be from doing homework to sleeping to eating to hanging out with friends and everything in between. There always seems to be this pressure to do the "right" thing--whether that be always performing your best in school or being the best person you can be, society places a lot of pressure on doing the "right" thing.

But what I've noticed what happens when I do the "right" thing--aka, get perfect grades, maintain perfect relationships, keep up perfect health, etc.--is that I become severely burned out. I spread myself so thin in order to keep up perfect appearances for the sake of doing the "right" thing that I get to a point where I can barely function.

Now, is that really the "right" thing to do? No.

The "right" thing to do is not what you should do or what society tells you to do, but is the thing you need to do. If you have a huge assignment due tomorrow, but your body is telling you that you need sleep, listen to what your body needs you to do and go to sleep. Finish the assignment in the morning. If you're staring at your computer screen because you have an essay due soon, but your brain is telling you that you need a break, go hang out with friends for a bit. If your friends want to hang out, but you're absolutely exhausted and in need of me-time, then take the night for yourself.

When you listen to what you need and act upon that instead of acting based on what you feel like you should be doing, you will live a healthier and happier and stress-free life. The only "right" thing to do is what you feel is the "right" thing for you--remember that.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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