261: Free Yourself from Mental Health "Shoulds"

261: Free Yourself from Mental Health "Shoulds"

From Think Act Be Podcast by Seth J. Gillihan

April 29, 2026 · 38 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the pitfalls of mental health self-care and how to manage the pressure of 'shoulds' and 'have-to's'.

Learning techniques for managing your mental health can sometimes be a double-edged sword. As helpful as they might be, they can also become a kind of burden, especially when they get wrapped in “shoulds” and “have-to’s.” For example, maybe you tell yourself, “I should meditate more often,” or, “I have to get eight hours of sleep every night.” While those practices can be good for you, thinking you must adhere to them at all times can add unnecessary stress to your life. In this episode Joel and I discuss some of the common pitfalls in mental health self-care, why it’s easy to fall into them, and how to find greater balance. Get full access to Think Act Be with Seth Gillihan at thinkactbe.substack.com/subscribe

People in this episode

Host: Seth J. Gillihan

Guest: Joel

Topics covered

  • mental health
  • self-care
  • stress management
  • balance
  • burden of expectations

Keywords

  • mental health
  • self-care
  • stress
  • meditation
  • sleep
  • balance
  • expectations

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