Should vs. Want (with Added Commentary)

Alma 41:5 - "The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good ..."

So, BYU was having a depression test screening a few weeks ago, and, for kicks and giggles, I took the screening. It was determined I have anxieties and mood something or others, and so it was recommended I see a psychologist. Sure sure, I thought.

So, yesterday, I had my meeting. It started off cliche, with seemingly random questions getting thrown at me by the good doctor and my just talking my head off about whatever struck my fancy. I have to say, though, psychiatry trips as illustrated in fiction are apparently generally accurate, so props to writers everywhere for not fearing to deviate from the 'cliche,' as it were.

Anyway, the crux of the matter boiled down to the good doctor suggesting I do a lot of things out of mere obligation, rather than following an actual want. For example, he said that, when I wake up and have no desire to go to a class, I go anyway because I feel like I should. "That gives you stress and agitation," he said. "It puts you in a position where you feel like you don't have control, and therefore lessens the calm in your life.

"On the flip side, what if you wanted to go to class?" I'm here because I want an education. Why? I want to be able to provide for my family. Why? I want to be able to provide for them in the future. Why? And on and on and on. The good doctor pointed out that by focusing on what I want, and how what I'm trying to accomplish helps me reach what I want, then I no longer feel pressured, and therefore feel less stressed, into doing something I'm not too keen on. Of course, he's a psychologist at BYU, so we talked about how the Savior, too, suffered the Atonement not out of obligation alone, because if he had, he likely would have failed. No, the Savior suffered the Atonement because he wanted to.

So, it was an interesting perspective. I decided I wanted to try changing that part of my own over the next few weeks and see how things turn out. As it is, I challenge you guys to try it! What do you feel obligated to do that you don't really want to? Do you view some things as obligations when they are really wants? Think about it!

I wrote a commentary about this post on September 10, 2015. Click here to read!