Wednesday, April 23, 2014

5 Things You Need to Stop Doing Right Now


1.  Worrying about the wrong people.  Your spouse, family members, close friends, and business partners are the kinds of people who truly matter to you.  Give them your time and attention.  They deserve it.  Quit worrying about The Real Housewives of Orange County, the family members of Duck Dynasty, the President, or the 900 friends on your Facebook list.  These people will survive without you, and you can survive without them.

2.  Saying “yes” when you really mean “no.”  Stop over-committing.  While saying “yes” can take you down some wonderful roads, there’s also a lot of value in saying “no.”  Your time is extremely limited; do you really want to give it away so easily?

Refusing a request from friends, family, customers, or your employer can be difficult, but it’s not as stressful as over-committing and leaving no time for yourself.

3.  Buying stuff you don’t need.  The consumer mindset believes that happiness is found in owning more things or continuously buying new things.  Think of all the stuff you buy that you don’t really need – gourmet coffee makers, perfect-fitting shirts, collectible salt-and-pepper shakers, etc.  How many televisions and channels does a person need?  How many electronic gadgets?  Do I need a closet full of clothes that never get worn?  Most of this stuff ends up in a garage sale anyway.

You’ve heard the saying, “The best things in life are free.”  Believe it.  Spending time with friends, laughing, enjoying nature, and pursuing experiences makes life richer.  To live free – from all that excess stuff – frees you to explore new hobbies, walk on trails, and kayak.  It liberates you to purse healthy friendships and safe people.

4.  Gossiping.  Gossip is evil.  You should focus on judging less, loving more, and resist the temptation to talk poorly about other people.  Be bigger than that.  Be careful with your words.  Speak with integrity.

5.  Doing things you hate.  This needs no elaboration at all.


No comments: