What could you give up to be happier and healthier this year?

Many people try to add new habits into their lives each January.  Have you ever thought about what you should give up from your life?  What if those things that you intentionally give up would not only make you healthier, but also make you happier?  Sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it?

As most of you know, my One Word this year is savor.  This year I’m my focus is not only to take in the best moments but to delight in them, to remember and cherish them, and to have the best year yet! It is impossible to savor life when you are letting the following 6 things into your life.

1. Comparison.  This is a hard one for many people to give up because we are bombarded every day by Facebook, Instagram, or other social media showing us photos of our friends living it up on vacation, buying new things, and showing us everything that’s wonderful in their world.  What we all seem to forget about when viewing all of these great things is that hardly anyone puts their “yuck” on social media.  Comparison kills happiness and joy.  It also kills the opportunity to savor what makes our lives special, those moments that we’ve worked so for are diminished, and our delight disappears.  Do yourself a favor and let go of comparing your home to your friends.  Let go of comparing your children’s behavior to the ones of the woman sitting next to you at the library.  Every person has their own battles to fight, some just hide it better than others.
2. Your past mistakes.  Everyone makes mistakes.  We all sin.  If you need to ask for forgiveness, by all means please do so.  After that, it’s time to get over your mistakes.  Dwelling on them not only makes you miserable but it creates a barrier preventing you to move on with your life.  It’s important to process your past and  to move past that, realizing that you are no longer that person.  You can change.  You can heal.  January is a new beginning and it’s time to leave the past in the past!  (And if you are surrounded by people who keep reminding you of your mistakes you’ve made in the past see the next point!)
3. People who make you unhappy.  There was a time in my life that it seemed I was a magnet for unhappy people.  There is nothing wrong with trying to help someone who is discouraged, sad, or angry.  But if they never seem to change (or don’t want to change) and are never happy, it can lead you down the same path that they are on.  It’s important to create boundaries for those people.  It’s hard.  Relationships can end when the unhappy person isn’t satisfied with the boundary you have set, but if they aren’t willing to try to change, can you afford to be sucked into their black hole?
4. Trying to make everyone else happy by saying yes all the time.  This is one of my fatal flaws.  I have a very hard time saying no.  In the last few weeks, I’ve told 2 people no to different activities my kids have been involved with.  Both came back and basically tried to guilt trip me into changing my mind into a “yes”.  Guess what?  Neither of those people care if my kids can’t get their homework done because I have said yes to what they wanted.  Neither of them care if my family gets to eat dinner together in the evening because we’re running to activities.  I do, that’s why I said no.  Both of them were more concerned about their own problems than mine.  My mom said it best, “Don’t let other people’s problems become your problems, too!”  Moms are so smart!  🙂  Stick to your guns.  You will be happier because of it.
5. Your bad self-image.  We live in a photo-shopped world where magazine covers show women with no flaws, perfect skin, no wrinkles, no acne, and no fat or stretch marks.  That is not reality!  Reality is that we do have acne, wrinkles, dry skin, and heaven forbid…stretch marks!  And you are beautiful.  Whether you feel it or not.  God doesn’t make mistakes.  Ever.  You are who you are.  It’s time to start telling yourself that you are beautiful because you are.
6. Feeling sorry for yourself.  No one has ever become prosperous or gotten far in life by feeling sorry for themselves.  Sure, people might feel sorry for you (and some of you have had some horrendous things happen in your lifetime) but unless you pick yourself up and not let those things define you, you will never be resilient and thrive.  Some of the strongest and healthiest people I know have had horrible things happen to them and they have decided not to let those events ruin their lives.  Is it hard, yes!  Is there help out there if you need it, yes!  It is possible, prove it to yourself!

So what are you going to give up this year?  Leave me a comment below so we can cheer you on!  🙂

Have you enjoyed what you read here today? Do you have friends or other women you know that could benefit from this resource? If so, please do me a favor! I have included the links below to share with other intentional women! They’ll be glad you did!