Shoulds.

From the moment we enter this world, we’re enveloped in a symphony of “shoulds”—a constant hum that shapes our destiny without us always noticing. Society tells us what success looks like: the perfect job, the ideal family, the right way to spend our money, even which emotions are acceptable to feel. These aren’t malicious directives but a pervasive white noise of social conditioning, absorbed from family, media, education, peers, and culture from our earliest days. As spiritual seekers, you’ve likely felt this hum grow louder, blending into the background until it feels like part of your own voice. But what if that voice isn’t entirely yours?