Get To / Have To / Choose To

😓 “Have to” = I’m doing something I don’t want to do, and that someone else is making me.

I have to spend all weekend at my daughter’s horse show (eye roll).

😐 “Choose to” = even if it’s not exactly my dream situation, I’m making the choice to take a certain action.

I’m choosing to spend all weekend at my daughter’s horse show because even though I don’t like horse shows, it’s her favorite thing.

😊 “Going to” = I’m about to do something.

I’m going to spend the weekend at a horse show with my daughter.

🤩 “Get to” implies that I’m lucky to have the chance to do something.

I get to spend the whole weekend with my daughter at her horse show.

It’s human nature to default to “have to”. It’s easier to feel like we don’t have a choice and we’re just doing what we “have to” do.

But that also makes it feel like we don’t have a choice. And we almost always have a choice.

We don’t have to get up at 5 am.

We don’t have to go to work.

We don’t have to cook dinner.

Yes, there will be implications if we don’t, but we always get to choose.

Try subbing in choose to, going to, or get to. Speaking in a more empowered way reminds you that you are always making choices, and that feels good.

I’m going to stop writing this post now. I choose to start writing a podcast episode next, because I get to have a podcast. How lucky am I?