Whose rule are you living by?

Some expectations become so familiar that we stop asking where they came from. This exercise invites you to examine one everyday rule.

Choose a mild, recent frustration. Write down the rule behind it, such as “I must always be useful” or “Everyone must approve of my decision.”
Ask where you first remember hearing or learning that rule. It is fine if you do not know.
Notice what the rule helps you protect and what following it costs you.
Try a more flexible statement: “I value being helpful, and I can also make room for my needs.”
Choose one small, safe action that reflects the more flexible statement.

What would I choose if I did not have to earn my worth through this rule?

You don’t have to haveall the words yet.