Today begins the next phase of the rest of my life and academic career bringing change, and setting the course for progress.
I feel like I am the real deal. I am it. I will use my naturally given analytical skills to sift through any ambiguities. I can do it!
I am the scale after all - harmony and balance are in my nature.
I won't shy away from tough conversations. Stride forth with the gentle assertiveness that I am known for and let it work its magic on people all around. This is a golden chance to highlight my natural flair for communication and persuasion.
I will use my intrinsic peacekeeping abilities to build an equilibrium. The love front may have surprises in store for me, therefore I will stay open-minded and receptive.
The Vessel states It’s not just about what we do – it’s also about what we don’t.
Some bad habits might be holding us back without realizing it.
So, here is a list of behaviors we need to say goodbye, adios 再见, for a better life.
Being a perfectionist
Perfection can be a tricky thing. Striving for excellence?
That’s great! But when we’re obsessed with everything being 100% perfect all the time, it can hold us back.
Here’s the deal: Perfectionism can lead to procrastination.
Afraid of making mistakes, we might put off tasks and miss deadlines.
Or we might spend so much time perfecting one thing that we neglect other important areas of our life.
So, let’s make a pact to say goodbye to perfectionism.
Let’s aim for ‘good enough’ and keep moving forward. Remember, progress over perfection is what leads to growth!
Overthinking everything
We all find ourselves lost in thought from time to time, but when it becomes a habit, it can be harmful.
Overthinking can lead to analysis paralysis – where we’re so stuck in our thoughts that we can’t take action.
When we overthink, we create problems that aren’t even there. We worry about things that might never happen.
We stress about every little decision.
And all this mental noise? It only holds us back from living our best life.
Comparing myself to others
I used to find myself constantly comparing my life to others.
Scrolling through social media, I’d see friends buying homes, traveling the world, and landing dream jobs.
I’d wonder why I was not achieving as much as they were.
But one day, I realized something important. Everyone has their own pace in life.
Comparing my chapter two to someone else’s chapter twenty was simply unfair to me.
Plus, social media only shows the highlights of people’s lives, not the struggles and hard work behind those achievements.
Once I stopped comparing myself to others and started focusing on my journey, things got a lot better.
So, let’s quit the comparison game. Your journey is unique and it’s about time we celebrate that!
Ignoring self-care
Did you know that over 60 percent of American adults admit they don’t prioritize self-care?
It’s a surprising statistic, considering the importance of self-care in maintaining our physical and mental health.
In our busy lives, we often put work, chores, and others before ourselves.
We ignore the need for rest, relaxation, and recreation. But here’s the thing: neglecting self-care doesn’t make us more productive; it just leads to burnout.
Not valuing time
Time is one thing we can’t make more of. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.
Yet, how often do we find ourselves wasting time on things that don’t matter?
We get stuck in endless scrolling, pointless gossip, or mind-numbing TV shows.
What if we spent that time on things that truly enrich our lives?
Like learning a new skill, spending quality time with loved ones, or pursuing a passion project.
The truth is, each moment is precious.
Each second is an opportunity to create, to love, to grow.
So let’s make a promise to ourselves: to value our time and use it wisely.
Because at the end of our lives, it’s not the years in our life that count, but the life in our years.
Living in the past
I used to be someone who spent a lot of time dwelling on the past.
I’d replay old conversations in my head, rethink decisions I’d made, and generally get myself stuck in a cycle of regret and ‘what ifs’.
But then, I realized that living in the past was preventing me from fully experiencing the present.
I was so focused on what had been, I was missing out on what could be.
Once I decided to let go of the past and focus on the now, my life started to improve.
So from my experience, I suggest we all try to live more in the present. After all, yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today? Today is a gift.
Ignoring your emotions
Let’s get real for a second. We all have bad days.
Days when we’re feeling down, upset, or just plain off. And you know what?
That’s okay. It’s part of being human.
The problem comes when we try to ignore or suppress these emotions.
We put on a brave face, tell everyone we’re fine, and shove our feelings down deep inside.
But ignoring our emotions doesn’t make them disappear.
It often makes them worse.
They build up over time and can come out in unexpected, sometimes harmful ways.
Not setting clear goals
Unbelievable but only 3 percent of adults have clear, written goals
It’s a surprising statistic considering how essential goal-setting is for achieving success.
Without clear goals, we tend to drift aimlessly through life, reacting to things as they happen instead of proactively shaping our future.
It’s like trying to hit a target with a dart when you don’t know where the bullseye is.
Let’s commit to setting clear, achievable goals.
Goals give us direction, motivate us to take action, and provide a sense of satisfaction when we achieve them.
A dream written down with a date becomes a goal!
Fearing failure
I’ll admit it; I’ve had my fair share of failures.
From botched projects to missed opportunities, the fear of failing used to paralyze me.
I was so afraid of messing up that I wouldn’t even try.
But then I realized that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of it.
Every failure is a lesson learned, a step on the path toward success.
When I started embracing my failures as learning opportunities instead of fearing them, things started to change.
So from my experience, let’s not fear failure. Instead, let’s learn from it and keep moving forward.
Because the only real failure is not trying at all!
Ignoring feedback
Truth bomb: no one likes criticism. It stings. It makes us defensive.
But if we’re serious about personal growth, we need to stop seeing feedback as an attack and start seeing it as a tool for improvement.
Sure, not all feedback is constructive.
But when it is, it can provide valuable insights into our strengths and weaknesses. It can help us identify areas for improvement and drive us to be better.
Being a people pleaser
It’s obvious, that we all want to be liked. It’s human nature.
But there’s a big difference between being likable and being a people pleaser.
When we’re constantly trying to please others, we often end up sacrificing our own needs and happiness in the process.
We say yes when we want to say no.
We agree when we disagree.
It’s time to remind ourselves that it’s okay to put ourselves first sometimes. It’s okay to say no.
It’s okay to prioritize our own needs over pleasing others. Because at the end of the day, you can’t pour from an empty cup.
Avoiding change
Change can be scary, there’s no denying that.
The unknown is daunting, and it’s comforting to stick with what we know.
But here’s the thing: change is inevitable.
More than that, it’s necessary.
Stagnation breeds complacency.
Change breeds growth. If we want to thrive in life, we need to embrace change – not avoid it.
So let’s face up to change and welcome it with open arms.
Because the only constant in life is change, and it’s about time we start going with the flow!
...And so it goes!