7 Things You Need to Stop Today

Sometimes it’s hard to hear the truth. And the truth is you need to stop a lot of things if you want to be successful in life. I am guilty of a lot of things I need to stop. I need to stop thinking a six-pack is going to magically appear on my stomach.

I need to stop thinking that snacks count as important calories in my diet. I need to stop being afraid to make mistakes with my blog. I need to stop giving people so many chances to prove themselves. I just need to stop. Period. You do too.

Here is a list of 7 things that you need to stop today if you want to evolve and go into the future confidently.

1. Stop Giving People Chances

Some of us focus too much on the potential of people. Hoping that one day they will emerge into the person that we know they can be. Meanwhile, that person may be incapable of seeing the same potential in themselves.

Or, they may be taking their time trying to slowly develop into their greatness. Yet, you may be sacrificing your time, mental, physical and emotional health trying to push them to their full potential. 

This is why you have to stop giving people chances. Giving them a chance is reasonable. Everyone deserves a chance to prove their character. People also make mistakes. So they may need a second chance.

However, third, fourth, and fifth chances are unacceptable. When you continue to extend chances to people, they might start to take advantage of your kindness. Not only might they take advantage, but they may also ruin your character in the process. 

Don’t let your kind-heartedness be your downfall. Stop giving people multiple chances when they are showing you that they don’t deserve them. 

2. Stop Suffering in Silence

Whether you believe it or not, there are so many people in the world who care about what you are going through. They could be your loved ones or they could be strangers. No matter who they are they are out there. 

We often make the mistake of thinking that no one cares. In reality, someone is likely thinking about you, praying that you are okay, or simply bragging about you somehow. If it’s not someone you know, don’t be discouraged. Strangers are waiting to help you through your issues because they have experienced the same things. You also have the option of seeking professional help. 

No matter who you decide to reach out to, just know that reaching out to someone is possible. What you are going through is not something you need to internalize and worry about alone.

Take your “normal” issues to someone or someplace to get help. I say “normal” because although your situation is unique, it is not new. Even if you feel like it is the most shameful, embarrassing thing ever, someone else has been through it. 

Don’t let shame or embarrassment shun you into silence. Speak your mind. Express your feelings to people who care. You are worthy of being heard. Don’t suffer in silence. 

3. Stop Feeling Bad For Making Mistakes

Mistakes help us grow. Growth is rooted in your ability to learn from your mistakes and do better in the future. Don’t be fooled by people’s appearances of perfection. Anything that appears perfect was achieved by multiple mistakes. 

Making mistakes are signs that you take risks. Which most people don’t do. Taking risks is scary to do, even crippling sometimes. That’s why some people never act on the things that they are passionate about. They are afraid to make mistakes. Afraid of judgment.

People may judge you, talk about you, or even call you crazy. So. Make mistakes anyway. Soon or later, people will be mistaking your success for perfection.

Not knowing that what you have achieved was due to many mistakes. The mistakes that most people are too afraid to make. Don’t feel bad about making mistakes. You’ll thank yourself for the results someday. 

4. Stop Going Backward

Why does it seem like our past is always waiting for us with open arms? Your hometown always has your favorite food. Your ex is always ready to start where you all left off. Even the drama you used to thrive on constantly challenges your new character. 

Although the past is tempting and comfortable, ignore it. Going backward serves you no purpose. You have been through that before. It’s time to move on to newer and better things. 

When you find yourself being tempted to return to your past, try to remember your history. How did the place, person or situation make you feel? Why did you choose to leave it/them in your past in the first place? 

Sometimes our reasons for leaving situations/people behind fades away when we move on. We forget exactly how we felt or thought during those times. Often causing us to miss pieces of our past.

However, challenge yourself to think about the pros and cons of going backward. Will you feel better this time? Has the person changed? Do that place complement the new skills you have developed? 

If you discover that your answer to these questions is positive, don’t automatically go back. Get a second opinion. Ask someone or multiple people who you care about if going backward will benefit you.

Other people may have a different perspective on your decision to go back to your past. It may be easy for you to find the reasons why you should return to your past. Don’t make this decision alone. Matter of fact, just don’t go backward anyway. 

5. Stop Being Afraid to Move Forward

You have finally decided to leave some people and things in your past. Congratulations! Now what? You might be confused about how to move forward. That’s okay. Just don’t be afraid to move forward.

Fear may be blocking your destiny. After all, how your future may turn out is a scary thing compared to your comfortable past. But was your past really comfortable?

Even if it was, does your past fit the person that you want to become? Chances are you have outgrown your past. Now you are afraid to go into the future. However, the future holds the happiness, resources, people, and places that you are craving. 

Moving forward allows you to grow into who you are meant to be. You can’t hold onto who you were and who you want to be at the same time. You have to make a choice. Choose the unknown.

Sure moving forward is scary but it’s not as scary as staying the same. Nor is moving forward scarier than wasting more of your valuable time. Life is too short. Stop being afraid to go into your future confidently.  

6. Stop Thinking There’s An Easy Way 

Sorry to disappoint you but there is no easy way through whatever you are dealing with. Chances are your only way through your situation is to face it. Trying to run from situations will likely prolong them.

Also, trying to take the easy way might cause you to miss out on valuable lessons. When you face your situations directly, you learn lessons that prepare you for tougher situations. You also gain the skill of making the best out of available resources. 

Of course, the easy way out allows you to forget and run to a place or person you feel comfortable with. However, challenge yourself to overcome anything that presents itself. Promise yourself you will use every resource and emotion to push you through tough times.

You owe it to yourself to learn how to navigate through problems. Stop taking the easy way, and start embracing the way that will strengthen you. 

7. Stop Comparing Yourself to Other People’s Displays of Perfection

Perfection surrounds us almost everywhere we go and look. When you go to the mall you may see couples smiling, holding hands, and buying everything. Making you think #Relationship Goals. You may log-in to your social media account and see five people on your timeline living their best lives in five different countries. Making you think: What exactly am I doing with my life?

Well, I’ll tell you what you are doing with your life, you are comparing it to other people’s displays of perfection. When you see a couple and you say they are your relationship goals, you don’t fully know their story.

That couple could be recovering from a breakup, just getting to know each other, actually cheating with each other, or a whole lot of other nonsense. These are not goals.

When you see people on social media taking trips, these people could have prioritized those trips over their bills, kids, or relationships. These are not goals either. 

Even if people are perfectly happy in their relationships and prioritize their vacations correctly, there is a process you are not seeing. Those people didn’t just wake up in happy relationships, they put in the work.

They didn’t just wake up and have the money and time to vacation, they worked. These are the processes that you are missing out on. The process of how people can present such a beautiful display of a perfect life.

However, they are not showing you the struggle and hard work it takes to have a good relationship, financial stability or anything stable. 

So, stop comparing yourself to others’ displays of perfection. If you see someone engaging in something that you would like to do, ask them for their advice.

Do your research on how you can achieve such status or stability. Do you need to save money? Do you stop eating snacks and work out 3 times a week? Should you go out more to meet people?

Whatever it is, figure out how to do it in a way that works for you. Because how you achieve your display of perfection will take unique planning, struggles, hard work, and prioritizing. 

Ultimately, you need to stop a lot of things. Most importantly, the things that are hindering you from your destiny. You have to stop giving people a billion chances and expecting different results. You have to stop suffering in silence when there are people who can help. You have to stop feeling bad for making necessary mistakes. You have to stop going backward and stop being afraid to move forward. You have to stop taking the easy way out of situations. Also, you have to stop comparing yourself to people’s displays of perfection. These things are holding you back from lessons, growth, and achievements. So, you must stop doing them. Period.

What else do you need to stop today? Share it in the comments.