Four Excuses We Should Stop Making To Ourselves

I've shared 8 Things We Should Stop Apologising For and Things We Should Stop Doing So We Can Be Happier on ALO, but I wanted to touch today on some excuses I think we should stop making to ourselves in our day to day lives. It's far too easy to hold ourselves back and not move forward because things scare us or because they take hard work, but to really make the most out of our lives I think it's super important to quit those excuses and focus on building a life we really love. There are so many excuses to myself that I've made over the years, but these four are the ones I've found can hold us back the most:

“I don’t have enough money"

I've made this excuse so many times when it comes to not doing the things I want to do. Whether it's having enough money for new experiences or adventures, or even when I decided to become self employed, telling myself that I just don't have enough money is a sure fire way to stop my plans (and my dreams) in their tracks. The thing is, we have the money that we have and it's up to us to make the most out of it. Compromises may have to be made and we may have to live by strict budgets and cut back on reckless spending, but it's up to us to organise our money around the things that really matter to us instead of wasting it away on the things that don't. And if you want or need more money? Work for it, find a way, and stop holding yourself back.

“I don’t have enough time"

We all lead busy lives, and it can be super hard to fit everything in. Maybe there's a side project we want to start, a new venture we want to pursue, or maybe we just want to make more time for our family and friends, and far too often do we tell ourselves that we just don't have enough hours in the day. Make time for the things that matter to you - life is short, and it's up to us to make the most out of it. Don't spread yourself too thin - prioritise the most important things, but never tell yourself there isn't enough time to live the life you want.

“I’m so young"

We're never to young to do something with our lives, and when I see awesome 20-somethings (and younger) doing amazing things it just reminds me that age is irrelevant when it comes to whether we can create or do something worthwhile and valuable. So many times I hear people say that they're too young to take life seriously yet, though I like to think that we're never too young (or old) to chase our dreams and passions every step of the way. Taking ourselves and the work we do seriously doesn't have to take the fun and freedom out of life - and telling ourselves we have all the time in the world just stops up from making the most out of the time we have now. 

“I’m sure they didn’t mean it"

Sometimes we can surround ourselves with people who seem to inadvertently hurt our feelings and try to bring us down on a regular basis, and so often do we tell ourselves that it's okay and that they probably didn't mean it. We deserve friendships and relationships that push us, support us, and want the best for us every step of the way, yet we can find ourselves in toxic or negative friendships where we're constantly accepting less than we deserve. Invest your time and energy in the people who are a positive part of your life, and be okay with standing up for yourself when you know you deserve better. 

What about you - can you relate to any of these?

Jen

Image background via June Letters


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Jen Carrington