I’ve come across a number of memes and posts on things to quit for the new year and they’ve resonated with me as 2019 has been a year of major change for me. Here are some ideas for habits to break and resolutions to make to become a stronger, better professional you as 2020 approaches.
- Trying to please everyone in your life. You simply can’t. Stop worrying what people think of you – you can’t control that as much as you would like to. Focus instead on becoming the best version of you.
- Overthinking and worrying. This greatly contributes to most of our anxiety and when you fixate on something, you almost always make it worse. Allow yourself a certain amount of imagine the worst case scenario that could happen, it will help you to put things into perspective on the fact that your actual reality is not nearly as bad! And always try to think positively – you are your thoughts and you create your reality.
- Living in the past. You can’t change what’s happened, but you can control your present and future. Make better decisions and learn from your mistakes.
- Being afraid to not be your unique self – embrace who you are and make no apologies for it!
- Comparing yourself to others. This is a great way to feel bad about yourself. Instead, focus on positive steps to get where you want to go.
- Not making enough time for the things in life that bring you joy. Everyone needs a healthy mix between their professional and personal lives – make sure to spend time with the people who mean the most to you.
- Saying no to new opportunities that take you out of your comfort zone. Whether it’s writing an article or public speaking, do the things that will support your goals. You’ll often grow in the process.
- Spending time with people who make you feel bad about yourself. Really try and surround yourself with people who support you and lift you up. Keep the negative Nancy’s at arms distance as much as you can.
- Not listening to your intuition. There’s a reason why they say to trust your gut. It usually knows what you should or shouldn’t do before your head does. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s often because it’s not. Listen to your inner voice to make smarter decisions.
- Procrastinating. Someone said to me “always do the worst first.” Procrastination causes stress and that can cause wrinkles. So just do it! You’ll feel so much better when you can cross that pesky task or project off your to-do list. Remind yourself of the incredible feeling of accomplishment on the other side of all that worrying!
Try out some of these and let me know what you think and happy almost new year!