Did you know that by doing certain things (often unconsciously) you end up hurting yourself?
The daily little worries, the stress, overthinking and going back to the past – these are just some of the stuff that makes you miserable, sucks the life out of you and makes your days feel like a never-ending struggle.
But you can do something about it. Right now.
You can notice these things, be aware of them; and each time you catch yourself doing something self-destructive, you'll know it's time to stop.
Here are 12 of the things you should stop doing to yourself:
1. Living by someone else's standards.
It's your life. And no one else will ever know what is right for you. So stop listening to people.
Others will always have something to say, to disapprove with, no matter what you do. But if you take it personally, and change your behavior because of that, you're ignoring your inner desires, your dreams and the things you know you should be doing.
2. Lying to yourself.
So many people do that, all the time, without even realizing. At some point, it becomes a habit, like everything else you do repeatedly.
But it's time to stop. To be present, face the truth and admit it to yourself.
Eventually, things will fall into place. And nothing is as bad as it seems. Also, time heals everything and you can get used to any change you face.
3. Blaming yourself.
That's pointless.
Even if you've failed many times, or have done something wrong, you can't change it by blaming yourself. You'll feel even worse, won't respect yourself anymore, won't believe in your abilities. And that itself will be the reason why you'll probably fail again.
So let go of past mistakes. The best you can do is learn from them; they are experience and that's priceless. And move on, find the will to try again and prove yourself strong.
4. Denying your potential.
So many people think that they can't achieve anything in life, that this is as far as they can go, that there's no point in even trying.
That's an awful approach to life.
The truth is that every single person is capable of much more than he believes. We all have that power within us, abilities we can show, potential we can unleash.
All we need to do is believe in ourselves.
5. Not having time for yourself.
It's easy to say that you're busy and you just don't have any time for yourself.
But your days are about priorities, and – believe it or not – you can make this time.
Get up earlier and include some reading, meditation, journaling or just some quiet time to drink your coffee as a part of your morning routine.
A small thing like that, when done daily, will help you feel more relaxed, handle the problems during the day with ease, be more positive and contented.
Or you can find that time in the evening, just before you go to bed.
It's important to do it when you can be alone, when there are no distractions – like people, noises, urgent
tasks, etc.
So don't say you don't have time for yourself.
6. Leaving your dreams behind.
That's an awful thing to do to yourself.
It doesn't matter how ridiculous your dreams sound to others, how big they are compared to your actual situation, how hard you'll have to work for them and how long that will take.
Don't give up on what you want the most. Because then you'll lose point in anything, you'll never be satisfied with your life and will always regret not going after them.
So even if you don't actually reach them, it's important to keep the hope alive, to do small things that will get you closer, and just to know that you still believe, and that some day it may come true.
7. Not feeling good enough.
If you feel like you're not good enough, you'll be exactly that.
But if you still want to be happy and successful, you'll need to change that attitude.
Realize that you're good enough for that job position, for that person you like, for that new goal you have.
You deserve to go travel the world, take that risk, win that price, get good at something, etc.
Let go of the doubts, and believe that you're good enough. But you'll have to work hard for the things you want, to be patient and to never lose hope.
8. Doing things you don't like.
Life is too short for that. Plus, this way you make your days unpleasant, and become more and more discontent with your lifestyle.
So change that. Get rid of all the things you don't enjoy, and find hobbies, try new things, accept challenges until you find what you love doing. Then fill your days with it.
9. Missing opportunities.
With every new day comes new opportunities. Your job is to notice, take and make the best of them.
10. Focusing on your weaknesses.
Stop torturing yourself like that.
Everyone has weak points. But he has strengths as well. And what you need to do is focus on them, improve your skills, do the things you love and are good at.
11. Living in the past.
That's just another way to bring regrets and melancholy to your life.
It's all gone and there's nothing you can do about it.
All that's important is the present moment, where you can feel peace and happiness, can create your future.
Accept the past with all the memories – good or bad, the people that you've lost, or have left you, the places you've been at. Know that these things were exactly what you needed back then, but not now.
Smile and keep moving forward.
12. Overanalyzing.
Stop thinking too much about stuff.
There are millions of versions of what might happen tomorrow, or how an event in the past may have gone differently. Also, you can guess what people's reactions mean for years, and still not know what exactly happens in their head.
So let go of the need to know all these things, to control them, to be prepared. Just make the best of the facts you have.
And you don't really need to know everything. Stop worrying about tomorrow, overanalyzing the past, thinking too much before you take a decision, etc.
Just get out there and do whatever you feel like doing.
So which of these things do you catch yourself doing? Or can you add another harmful behavior?