6 Things You Need To Stop Caring So Much About

As a person who shoots for perfection in just about every aspect of life, this concept took me about, eh…twenty years to learn.

It’s okay not to care so much about some things.

It’s actually good… for your soul.

I’ve spent countless hours worrying about pointless things that do not matter in the grand scheme of life. Rationally, I knew that these things did not matter but my perfection-oriented, can’t-ever-take-a-break brain is not always the most rational companion.

“If you stop now you are LAZY and CARELESS and WORTHLESS.”

It’s not true. If you have a special little section of your brain that is utterly irrational like me–tell it to shut the hell up.

6 Things you need to stop caring so much about:

1. Regret. There is no need. Forgive people, including yourself, for EVERYTHING. There is no sense worrying and fretting over things that cannot be changed. Move on— live in today. Now is all that really matters, after all.

2. Things you don’t have. No one will ever have enough time. Enough money. Enough resources. Enough anything for their liking. The amazing thing is what you can do with what you do have. Instead of looking for what’s missing–take what you have and make the most of it.

3. Failing. Fear of failure holds so many people back from doing what they truly want to do…think about it: some of the best things were created after countless failures. If you’re holding back because your fear of failing is larger than your desire to succeed, just go for it. Even if you do fail, you will be one step closer to your goal.

4. Others’ opinion of you. People talk. People talk before they know facts. It’s life. Don’t let others’ shallow judgments dictate your attitude. Even if someone who knows you well holds a negative opinion of you–screw them. Why does their opinion of you matter at all? It’s hard at first to apply this one to real life, but after you give it a shot a few times it gets easier.

5. What other people are doing. This is only going to lead you to comparing yourself to others which is never a good thing. Why? This is life, not a competition. You’re not competing with her. Everyone’s lives progress and unfold at different rates and look completely different. There’s no sense in worrying because that person over there has a full time job and a perfect body and perfect relationship and you don’t. Another fun fact–things probably aren’t so perfect over there, anyway.

6. Your image. This is one of those things you should care about, but care LESS about. Take care of yourself, stay healthy…but don’t let that be ALL there is. Don’t only focus your energy on what you look like. Don’t spend time poking and prodding and obsessing over your body. Don’t put yourself down over body image issues. Don’t spend a ridiculous amount of money on your appearance—all the time. Don’t compare. Don’t put yourself down. DON’T. Some people make it their job to look a certain way–models, bodybuilders, figure competitors, etc. That’s fine. They want to dedicate so much of their life to looking a certain way, and that’s absolutely their choice. Those people also inevitably will experience more self-hate and self-judgment because they will always be critiquing themselves. They never are good enough for themselves. I used to want to be a figure competitor. When I realized how much that would throw off the balance of my life I quickly gave up that dream. Live a little. Eat the freaking donut, go for a leisurely walk, trash the scale and get away from the mirror.