30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

I loved every word of the post from Marcandangel.com below and wanted to share it on here. Its a worthy part of your 2011 reflection exercise to reflect on the things you want to stop doing, and leave behind in the current year as you move on to the year ahead. For me…as I truthfully reflect on 2011, its got to be numbers 8, 12, 19, 23 and 26 (you’ll know what I mean shortly, read on). Although, at one time or another it was everything on the list below.

I do have to acknowledge myself for the numbers that I just breezed past while reading and realized “Hey! I’m not that girl anymore! Way to go!” I can recognize the areas that I’ve grown and feel proud, and this is another key element of it all. So if you decide to read below, don’t be a self-hater and try to take on all of the advice at once. Acknowledge yourself for the ones you skip and realize that you don’t need any work in that area of your life. It’s okay to pat yourself on the back once in a while. Make sure to be kind to yourself too, you have plenty of time to take on all of the numbers below. Something tells me you’ll know where to start…

XO
♥ D

30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

Article written by Marc at Marcandangel.com

When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.

“As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Nothing could be closer to the truth. But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you. You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot. Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth. And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on. No, it won’t be easy. There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them. We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems. That’s not how we’re made. In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall. Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time. This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself. Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves. Read The Road Less Traveled .
4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too. Yes, help others; but help yourself too. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you likeeveryone else. Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you. Don’t change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing. Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success. You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us. We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future. Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
9. Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive. But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either. You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else. Read Stumbling on Happiness .
11. Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place. Evaluate situations and take decisive action. You cannot change what you refuse to confront. Making progress involves risk. Period! You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely. It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company. There’s no need to rush. If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet. Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you. But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others doing better than you. Concentrate on beating your own records every day. Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.”

Read the rest 16-30 and full article here: Full Article at marcandangel.com

CREDIT: Full article written by Marc at Marcandangel.com HERE

Photo by Rob Brucker

Don’t break the bank this year with my perfect gift guide + some good karma + a stress free holiday!

shopper

Alright ya’all it’s that time of year again: HOLIDAY SHOPPING, OH yea!! (If you’re not into my savvy shopper, more materialistic side…then this post isn’t for you. I promise to provide my favorite idea for scoring some good holiday karma … Continue reading 

my thanksgiving week scrapbook and dabble into the world of green juice

Hello there,

How are you? How is your holiday season going so far? Have you kicked it off with a bang? Or are you taking a more relaxed approach this year? Mine has been somewhere in the middle.

Over in LA…

Thanksgiving was a food-and-drink-and-dessert-plus-family-and-some-GagaThanksgivingSpecial packed event. We were 14 people this year, which felt like a good size. There was no shortage of conversation, gratitude, red wine, and great memory making. That was our second LA Thanksgiving in a row, and I have to admit, its not half bad. ;)

Like Mother Like Daughter

Always one for activity, we also made time for a great hike that was perfect for connecting with nature, the sun and breaking a much needed post-TG sweat. See pic below from Eaton Canyon in Pasadena, CA.

We did it!

There was also time to eat at two of my favorite spots in Malibu for a beachside lunch at Paradise Cove(pic below) & cozy family style dinner at my families favorite west coast authentic Greek eatery Taverna Tony.

view from our table at lunch

Back in NY…

Post-LA and back in NYC, its been nice to kick off December with some R&R and experiment with my new Breville juicer! I’ve read so much about the benefits of juicing vegetables, fruits and herbs into refreshing vitamin and mineral packed “super-drinks” that I was eager to take self-care up a notch and try it for myself. I was inspired by one of my favorite books for it’s no BS guide to health, Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Diet, that has become my favorite reference guide (I’m thinking of doing a health book review post since I feel like I’ve read them all…stay tuned!)

After a few attempts, and trying for the perfect benefits/taste ratio, I think I’ve got the “Green Juice” recipe down to a science. I imagine my body soaking up all of the yummy healthy nutrients with each refreshing sip, not to mention the powerful alkaline effects it has on your body (look at me go!).

Green Juice Ingredients


You’ll Need:
5-6 Celery Stalks
1 whole cucumber
4-5 Kale Leaves (stalk included)
Generous Handful of Spinach
Small Handful of Parsley
2-3 Green apples
1 lemon (to taste – I like a lot)

After washing ingredients thoroughly, juice all green veggies in a juicer, then add the juice of one lemon (or juice a peeled lemon). Enjoy!

Yum!


If you have a favorite juice recipe, let me know, I’d love to try!

Happy December!
♥ D