We all have good intentions and will do everything to ensure everyone around us is happy but do we sometimes take time to ensure we are happy as well? Sometimes we may not take the time to review our life and make sure that we are the best person we can be. Just like this inspirational Jim Carrey commencement speech, it’s so important to follow our dreams and having the confidence to do so.
Albert Einstein once said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” This applies to every facet of our lives but we must make sure that nothing is holding us back. Here are 28 things to stop doing to yourself and inspirational ideas to start with:
1) Stop pretending like everything is fine if it isn’t.
Don’t bottle up your emotions, it’s OK to shed tears when you feel you need to. Don’t hold them back. You don’t have to pretend to be strong or happy when you don’t feel that way at times. The sooner you cry and deal with your pain, the sooner you feel better.
2) Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself.
The road of life is full of twists and turns and sometimes when it feels like life is getting you down, it is only meant for you to get back up. It may feel like you are stuck in a hole you can’t get out of but there is always a way out of any situation with positive thinking. Think about negative situations that you overcame in the past and use it as a positive inspiration for dealing with your next curveball. You’ll come out of it a better person and you will smile knowing that you are stronger today than you were yesterday.
3) Stop being idle.
The faster you make a decision, the faster you will accomplish your goal. Try not to overthink it too much as making progress always requires some risk. You can’t make it to second base by keeping your foot on first.
4) Stop taking the path of least resistance.
Life is not easy and if you want something, you have to work if you want to achieve it. Taking the easy way only leads to disappointment. Work hard and your dreams will come true.
5) Stop trying to be someone else instead of being yourself.
The great thing about this world is that it is filled with individuals and each one of us is unique. Stop trying to change yourself for other people. The right people will fall in love with the real you, they will love everything about you, quirks and all.
6) Stop being in relationships for the wrong reasons.
Some people feel pressured to find the right person, get married, and have kids all before a certain age. Being single at 25, 30, or whatever age is perfectly fine. Stop trying to be in a relationship just for the sake of being in a relationship if you are not happy. There is no need to rush into any relationship. You will fall in love when you are ready and when it does happen, it will be real.
7) Stop beating yourself up over past mistakes.
We all make mistakes, plain and simple. We may cry over the wrong things or love the wrong person but every mistake is a step towards greatness. Only you have the power to shape your life and the ability to learn from your mistakes will prepare you for the best moments of your life.
8) Stop running away from your problems.
It won’t be easy but the only way to tackle a problem is to face it head-on. We can pretend to run away from our problems but they will always eventually reach us. When confronted with a problem, it’s only natural to feel hurt, sad, or upset but the faster we devise a solution, the faster we can get back to life full of confidence and happiness.
9) Stop doing what you are doing and take a break.
Sometimes you can get so involved in work or other tasks but do you sometimes feel like you aren’t getting things done? Sometimes we need to take a step back and take a break to evaluate how we are doing. Taking a break may help you see things more clearly and find more efficient ways of solving a problem or task.
10) Stop being jealous or envious of others.
Being jealous is worrying that someone will take away what you have and being envious is wanting what somebody else has. Stop counting other people’s blessings and instead cherish everything around you. You’ll be grateful and appreciate everything you already have.
11) Stop rejecting new relationship because of past relationships that didn’t work.
There is a reason for everyone you meet and some of them will teach you, some will test you, and some will use you. Some of them will also bring out the best in you and it’s important to learn from previous experiences to create new ones.
12) Stop holding grudges.
Living with hate is something we should avoid at all costs. The only person you are hurting is yourself in the long run. It’s not about saying “what you did to me is OK” it’s about saying “I won’t let what you did to me ruin my happiness for the rest of my life.” Liberate yourself by forgiving and finding peace. Forgiveness is not just for other people but for you too. You’ll feel a weight lift off your shoulders and you’ll never be happier.
13) Stop feeling the need to explain yourself to others.
Just do what you feel in your heart to be right and the rest will take care of itself. Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it.
14) Stop spending time with the wrong people.
Having friendships is not spending time with people that don’t appreciate you. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make time for you and make you feel wanted. Life is too short to have to be with someone who overlooks your worth. The people who matter the most are the people who stand alongside you in the best of times and in the worst of times.
15) Stop missing the precious small moments.
Sometimes the small moments we feel are insignificant turn out to be some of the best moments of our lives. Whether it is watching TV with your parents or having coffee with a friend, the small moments you spend smiling with the ones you love will be the best moments.
16) Stop worrying about everything.
Worrying constantly will eventually make you sick. Don’t let worries get in the way of your happiness. Will it matter down the road in a year’s time or more? If not, it’s probably something not worrying about.
17) Stop living in the past.
We all have memories of great times in our lives but life is about making more great memories. It will always be a part of you but don’t let it prevent you from growing as a person. You can’t start the next chapter in your life if you don’t turn the page.
18) Stop being afraid of making mistakes.
Remember when you learned how to ride a bike? You probably fell a few times but you didn’t stop trying. Making a mistake while trying to do something and learning from our mistakes is much more important than not trying at all. Every successful person has made mistakes but they learned from their failures to help them achieve success. You regret the things you didn’t do much more than the things you did.
19) Stop trying to compete with others.
Stop worrying about what everyone else is doing and concentrate only on yourself. Be the best person you can be, try to raise the bar every single day, and you will always win. The only person you should compete against is yourself.
20) Stop lying to yourself.
You can lie to others but the one person you can’t lie to is yourself. Moving forward, be honest with yourself and your life will improve dramatically.
21) Stop relying on others for happiness.
You need to be happy on the inside and only then will you be happy being in a relationship with anyone else either. Build a stable life where you are happy first.
22) Stop putting your own needs last.
Loving someone too much but forgetting to take time for your own needs will only hurt you in the long run. There is nothing wrong with helping others but make sure to keep some time for helping yourself. You are special too!
23) Stop letting people get you down.
Don’t ever let people make you feel bad because if they do, you are already above them. Don’t lower your standards if they are unwilling to raise theirs.
24) Stop striving for perfection.
The real world doesn’t reward “perfectionists”, it rewards people who get things done.
25) Stop trying to buy happiness.
Have you heard stories of people winning the lottery only to find out they were miserable years later? Money doesn’t buy happiness and the things that truly make you happy are free. Love, laughter, family, friends, and doing what you love.
26) Stop thinking you are not ready.
When an opportunity arises, you may feel like you are not ready but not seizing the opportunity could be a mistake you’ll eventually regret. Later in life, people never regret the chances they took, they only regret the chances they didn’t take.
27) Stop blaming others for your troubles.
Don’t deny responsibility for your life by blaming others because it gives others power over that part of your life. The day you stop blaming others is the day you discover who you truly are.
28) Stop trying to be everything to everyone.
If you do try to please everyone you will only burn yourself out. Making one person smile can change their world but when you say yes to others, make sure you are not saying no to yourself.
H/t: LifeBuzz and Marc & Angel Hack Life
We are only human and some of us are guilty by some of these. Working to stop doing some of them can help us remain happy with ourselves and others. Please share these 28 things to stop doing to yourself with your friends and family.
