Don’t Get “Should Upon”
They are so sneaky.
I’m talking about those insidious scrooges who present themselves as quiet, soft, concerned, and, on the surface, kind. They are the guilt-trippers, the people who, with a simple “Have you visited Joan?” or a quiet “I can’t because I’m volunteering that day,” make you feel guilty, persuade you to do what you don’t want to do, and let you know that you should be doing something else, or something more. Ugh.
I just said that these people can “make you feel…,” even though I tend to avoid that phrase because I think it’s important that we take responsibility for our own feelings and do as much as we can to avoid victim-think. But gosh darn it, guilt-trippers are so good at what they do that it’s hard not to feel jerked around by them.
One reason they can so easily push our buttons is that often some tiny, deep-down part of us does wonder if we should be visiting Joan or volunteering at the soup kitchen (especially if we’re playing tennis or going to a matinee instead). We all know that self-doubts are a part of everyday life.
So let’s say you are up against a fully conscious, stone-cold, semiprofessional manipulator. When I’m in this position, I sometimes think of a bumper sticker I once saw: “I WILL NOT SHOULD ON MYSELF TODAY.” You might even try saying it out loud, with a smile on your face, to the person making you feel like crap.
Last year my family vacationed with two other families. I quickly realized that there was a guilt-tripper on this getaway. Everyone in his family seemed to easily agree on what they’d do when, except for Bill. I repeatedly overheard him pressuring his wife, sister, and kids to do the things he wanted to do by making it seem that they were things they should all want to do.
Now, this was Bill’s vacation too, so he had every right to want to enjoy himself. But it was the approach he used to try to get his way. He didn’t just say, “Gosh, I’m really interested in taking this tour. Any takers?” He whined, “I know you’ve all been there, but wouldn’t it be great to be there together? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Okay, I guess I’ll just never see it.”
Bill tried to make others feel sorry for him and guilty for depriving him. He did this to the point where they might not have been able to enjoy themselves unless they gave in.
Then I heard a beautiful thing. Bill’s sister Judy said:
“Bill, you’re acting obnoxious. We’re all tired of being pushed around. We’re going to do our own thing. You’re welcome to join us if you can go with the flow and stop bugging us. If not, please just go and do your own thing. We all love you, but none of us want you around if you’re going to continue to act like a three-year-old who isn’t getting his way.”
Consider the alternative: the family could have caved, had a lousy day, and resented old Bill. This way they didn’t get their vacation scrooged, and Bill had the opportunity to meet his own needs and learn a little something about his behavior.
“Shoulds” happen, but you can send guilt-trippers packing.