7 Things You Need to Stop Doing Now
1. Stop looking for a reason to get started.
We fall into the trap of thinking there’s a perfect time to pursue a goal. Maybe we wait until our careers have reached a certain point, we’ve accumulated enough money, or someone has given us the permission to do so. And while certain conditions are better than others, the stars aren’t going to align to create the perfect scenario. Someone I knew once said that there is never a perfect time to start a family because something always gets in the way. Similarly, there’s never a perfect time to start working on your idea, trying something new, or picking up a skill. The best time to start is now.
2. Stop waiting for your situation to change.
Being stuck in a rut can lead to a vicious cycle. You feel down, so you don’t do anything to change your situation, which makes you feel even worse. Once you get into this cycle, all the components of your life begin to weigh each other down. If you’re feeling trapped, focus on just one thing you can work on today. Before you can run, you need to walk. Improve one small component of your life first.
3. Stop doing something just to fit in.
When you try to change who you are to fit in, you can only pretend for so long. After awhile, you become exhausted. Maybe you’re chasing a career that doesn’t suit your personality because it’s prestigious, or staying in a bad situation for fear of change. The more time and effort you expend, the more difficult it becomes to cut losses. Be honest to yourself. If you have to change your interests, values, and beliefs to fit in somewhere, it means you’re in the wrong place.
4. Stop blaming other people.
Sometimes it really is someone else’s fault that something bad happened. But what can you do? Blaming other people is a futile exercise that doesn’t solve anything. Instead, it creates more anger and does nothing to push you forward. If someone wronged you, let go of those bitter feelings and move on. Forgive. Focus on your actions instead.
5. Stop worrying about factors outside your control.
Anxiety is especially prevalent today, with all the events happening in our lives and beyond. Chronic anxiety manifests itself into physical symptoms, such as breathing problems, ulcers, and heart disease. While there are an infinite number of things you can worry about, there are only a finite number of things you can control. Remember that you can’t change what others say or think about you. You can’t decide the actions other people take, or how they affect you. What you can do, though, is decide what your next step is.
6. Stop dwelling on past mistakes.
We all have moments in our past that, upon reflection, could have been done better or differently. Occasionally, I wonder if things could have turned out better had I made different choices. Still, I remind myself not to get stuck on the past. Instead of pondering over what you can’t change, use those past mistakes to proactively think about how you would do things today. Failures can be used to your advantage, if you’re willing to turn them into lessons for the future.
7. Stop putting aside your health.
When you’re caught up in the whirlwind of life, health can end up pushed aside. To get more done, you cut back on sleep and skip your exercise routine. After a tiring morning, you grab that sugary drink because you need an energy boost. Unfortunately, the effects of bad health habits don’t show up until years later. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends getting your cholesterol measured at least once every 5 years starting from age 20, which means that health is not a “later” problem, but something that needs to be addressed today.
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