Every year, we suddenly decide to reinvent ourselves on New Year's Day and say "This is my year!". Well, I sincerely hope that 2016 will be your year, but to get there, there are more things you should probably STOP doing rather than start doing.
1. Stop Saying, "New Year, New Me!"
Really, this is just annoying and overused. But besides that fact, the truth of the matter is, even though you shouldn't do it anyway, you aren't going to suddenly become a new person this year. You are going to be who you always were. Rather than saying this, how about we decide to target little attributes we would like to get better at about ourselves. This isn't changing who you are, this is GROWING who you are as a person. So if you're always late, try setting your alarm for earlier instead of saying, "Oh, I can totally get ready in 30 minutes!" No. You can't. Stop trying. Make small steps towards big changes, and you'll see more progress than setting yourself up for the impossible.
2. Stop Judging Others Lives By Your Own.
So she got engaged over Christmas and you're still over there with your cat staring at your empty finger? So he got a great new job and a 4.0, and you're struggling to make ends meet and keep gas in your tank? Every person is at a different point in their lives, with their own set of problems you probably know nothing about, and with different lives than your own. Stop comparing yourself to these people. You are you. Like I said before, there's no changing that, so instead of focusing on other people and their decisions and lives that have nothing to do with your own, focus on yourself. It isn't self-centered, it's actually respectful and you will be respected in 2016 for doing it.
3. Stop Arguing With People On Social Media.
Seriously, just stop. Stop picking fights. Stop just "sharing your opinion" on statuses of people who aren't going to agree with you. Stop instigating issues and drama, when it's so much easier to just keep your opinions to yourself. If you have to share it so badly, make a blog. Seriously, write it out. If people want to read it, they will. But for the sake of everyone's timelines, keep it off of public social space.
4. Stop Tearing Yourself Down.
Whether it's because of social media, your grades, your relationships, your weight... whatever it is this year: STOP. Take 5 minutes every day, and write down or at least, think about what you did right. What did you think was awesome that you did that day. Compliment yourself, instead of getting caught up in what you did wrong. Make a point in 2016 to give yourself the gift of grace for yourself, and wake up every morning with a sense of purpose and gratitude that you are who you are. You are a gift to this world, so act like it.
5. Stop Making Resolutions.
This seems cliché, but it's true. If you are in a habit of continually breaking resolutions, and then getting mad at yourself over it then just stop. This isn't cynical, and I'm not saying don't try to be better in 2016, but stop setting impossible standards for yourself. Instead, have a goal word. Or have a feeling that you want to have felt more by the end of the year. For example, my word of the year is "Intention" and that means that I want to have been more intentional with my time, my decisions, and every other aspect by the end of the year. It doesn't mean I have to be perfect. I am just striving to do it a bit MORE. If you want to lose weight, Cosmo suggests instead of aiming for quantitative results, aim for "qualitative". Say you want to have "more energy" by the end of a workout. Realize that every year you can better yourself without having to suddenly become perfect by the end. Be realistic, and have a vision, and you will soar in the upcoming year.
I am not an expert in life by any means. But I hope that this year, I'll stop doing these things because I truly believe they will contribute to a better quality of a life and a happy 2016. Here's to you and yours this New Year! Share your "non-resolutions" and things you want to stop doing with all your friends and family!
