Existence is not supposed to be difficult. Nonetheless, most of us seem to live through days in which it feels like it. Everywhere there are pressures to be quicker, more competent, more successful, more organized, more social, and more perfect. We inherit habits and beliefs and are not even aware that we are adopting them, and gradually, life becomes weightier.
Once, I found out that I did not need to do more to feel lighter, calmer, and more in charge of my life. There was more that I should have decoupled. I had to give up a few things that were standing in my path. That is when things started to change.
The following 15 things are what I stopped doing to make my life easier. Hopefully, they will assist you also.
1. I Stopped Agreeing When I Did Not Want To
I had to say yes to many things just to make someone happy. I did not stop even when I was tired. Even when I did not want to. However, whenever I said yes meaning no, I was saying no to myself. I was denying my sleep, my serenity, and my leisure. Saying no was not natural to me. However, as I got used to it, it allowed me to safeguard my energy and concentrate on the most important things.
2. I Stopped Comparing Myself with Others
Online or in real life, I used to look at others and raise a question why I was not where they were. It put me in a backward position. However, the way is not the same. Others blossom at an early age. Others require time. The decision not to compare made it possible to focus on my development, rather than catching up with where somebody else is.
3. I Quit Trying to Be Perfect
It is a thing that cannot be perfect. I used to repeat everything, I used to analyze everything I said and worry about the smallest of errors. However, perfection means no peace. It did not lead to any relief. As soon as I stopped being afraid of not being perfect, I was able to rest. I was able to do something and fail and learn. That expedited a more liberated reality.
4. I Quit Chasing Too Many Goals at Once
I believed that I had to work out, have a career, be fit, write a book, be a new skill learner, have a home in order. Attempting to do all, simultaneously, burnt me out. These days I set smaller goals. I concentrate my mind on one or two things at a time. In this manner, I proceed with fewer stress factors and with greater happiness.
5. I Stopped Hoarding Things I Did Not Require
I can remember how my house was full of things that I did not use: those clothes which were old, useless instruments, books I had not read. They crowded my room and I could not clean or relax easily. Once I started donating or getting rid of the things I did not need, I started feeling lighter. The fewer items there were, the fewer messes there were and less mental clutter.
6. I Quit Trying to Fix People
I had a habit of thinking that my role was helping the people to solve their problems. I would say something when it was not requested. However, I understood that there is nothing I can do with those who have no desire to change. I will be able to love them, support and listen. I stopped trying to repair all people. That assisted me to have peace within my relationships.
7. I Quit Being Busy Just to Feel Important
At one point, when I was busy I felt important. I packed my schedule with appointment, errands, and tasks. However, I was never energetic. I was not living a good life. I also came to know that busy is not equal to productive. I appreciate rest, silence, and slow mornings now. To me that is where I get meaning.
8. I Stop Caring What People Say
My mindset was once to form my words and decisions according to how people perceive me. However, attempting to please everybody made me feel lost and alienated with myself. Reality says, you are not going to be liked by everybody. That is fine. Releasing that concern enabled me to be more outspoken and to live more in the open.
9. I Stopped Constantly Checking My Phone
The first thing I would touch in the morning and the last thing that I would see at night were my phone. I was constantly scrolling through social media, reading the news, or checking emails. That disturbed me and upset me, though. I have learned to switch off notifications, avoid looking at a phone during phone-free hours, and be more present in my day.
Read also: 25 things to do instead of pressing your phone
10. I Gave Up Living in the Past
I was burdened with old regrets, bad memories, and past mistakes. I was replaying things I could not change. Yet clinging did not do me any good. It slowed me down only. I started to forgive people, not only them but I forgave me as well. Forgetting the past cleared the path towards the future.
11. I Quit Multitasking
I believed that multitasking was intelligent. I could be watching a video and replying to mail or cook medicine on text. But I was doing everything without commitment. I committed mistakes more and was fatigued. Spending time in the single line of thought made me feel more relaxed. I was able to work better and find more pleasure in doing something simple.
Read also: 8 Effective Ways to Stop Being Talkative
12. I Stopped Overthinking All Things
All the decisions were long processes. What would happen in case I have chosen incorrectly? What will happen should someone judge me? I would think, then unthink then fret. It caused me to be stuck. I then developed confidence in myself. I subjected myself to a time constraint in decision-making. I began to act even when I was not much certain. That helped me to feel more confident.
13. I Stopped Skipping Sleep
Nights included staying awake to accomplish more. However, lacking sleep was not beneficial as it made me irritable, forgetful, and sluggish. After I started treating sleep as a necessity, not a luxury, I started being happier in all aspects of life. Sleeping well kept my mind straight and my body healthy.
Learn the science behind why sleep is important
14. I Gave Up on Having Unrealistic Expectations
In some cases, I thought I should be relaxed at all times, be productive daily, or happy all of the time. That is not the real life. Life is an up and down process. Not all the days are clean. Not all plans work. I was taught to give myself a break. Dropping the unrealistic expectations helped me because I started to be more at peace with how life actually is.
15. I Stopped Waiting to Do Things Right
I used to wait until the time is right to do something new. I put it off until I would have had more time, more money, or more confidence. The opportune moment is seldom there. Life is never a little neat. Here then I started. Smaller steps, which were not always ideal, made me develop. Life was more real with less waiting.
Final Thoughts
Streamlining your life does not take place automatically. It is a compassionate, continuous process of releasing—of habits, thoughts, and things that are no longer useful to you. Everything which I abandoned left a small niche. And gradually those gaps turned out to be a space to breathe, and to grow, and to love the life more intensely.
You are not forced to stop everything overnight. Use one small step, and you can move a mountain. Then another. And the serenity you seek will start arriving, not because you raised the levels of it, but because you moved back the levels of it.
