7 Things Holding You Back From Living The Life You Really Want
1. Your own fear
What you are fearing most does not have power; it is fear itself that has all of the power. Fear is the constant thoughts and feelings that loop around in your brain, making you second-guess yourself. The question is, how long are you going to allow fear to control you? The key to moving on is to accept your fears and face them head on. Remove the weakening emotions and thoughts that you might have and seize the day.
2. The past
One of the best things that I have learned, especially from being in college for six years, is that you can really improve your life and personal well-being by letting go of what is in the past. We all have those days when we look back on our week and think, “What is in this for me? Why am I doing this?” In reality, this happens more than we’d like. Instead of reflecting or drowning yourself in negative memories, get rid of that cloud of hatred and let yourself BREATHE. Focus on what you want and how you’re going to make that happen.
3. Negative body image
This is always a sore subject, but it’s always something that occurs and needs to be addressed. We are surrounded by beautiful people 24/7 and it is extremely hard not to compare ourselves to others. But seriously, there is only one person’s opinion you should be concerned with when it comes your body and that is YOU. There is no such thing as a correct body type, as I talk about in “Ending the Thigh Gap.” Be proud of who you are and stay comfortable in your beautiful skin!
4. The idea of a perfect partner
Alright ladies, we’ve reached the age that having a checklist of qualifications for the perfect man or woman has got to go. Go ahead; toss it out the window because you don’t need it anymore. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t have standards when we’re looking for a significant other, but having unrealistic expectations of a relationship is only setting you up for disappointment. For everyone out there, be open to meeting new people. Talk to that cute guy sitting across from you in the coffee shop, or say hi to the girl sitting by herself on the subway. Find the right person that makes you happy and accepts you for who you are. The sooner you realize that there isn’t the “perfect man” or “perfect woman” out there, the better off you will be.
5. Excuses, excuses and more excuses
There are plenty of beautiful things that surround you, why not take advantage of that every day? Stop complaining and making excuses. We keep making up excuses for too many things: from working out to not having time to do anything and everything. These rationalizations make us feel better about not doing something that you need/want to be doing, but how long are we going procrastinate? Seek adventure, live your dream. Get up early or skip out on your favorite TV show; start doing what you need to do, be productive, and be proud.
6. Not trying
I’ll make this one simple; Life is what you put into it, so if you are not willing to work hard and put forth the effort, you will most likely end up unhappy. You have the capability to make your life the best it can be, so make it happen.
7. The need to be happy all the time
If we were happy all of the time, imagine how annoying that would be? There would be no real emotion or truth, just over-the-top smiles all around. We all need to feel sadness, defeat and anger. These feelings serve who you are; they teach you a lesson and show you what to care about. Being happy is great and all, but having a full-blown crying session or an intense workout to blow off steam is a great way to express yourself and who you are. Be happy and allow yourself to feel.
“Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.” ―F. Scott Fitzgerald.