5 Things to Stop Doing in 2020 + Quotes to Inspire Your Year

Today we’re sharing 5 things to stop doing in 2020 for a more successful year! As we’re still at the beginning of a new year, let’s stop hijacking our future by practicing these 5 things in the present.

After the literal hustle and bustle of the holidays, I lay off the white-knuckling a bit and ease my way into a new year less dramatically — and instead with a little more grace and patience. There is nothing sprinty about a year, and so there needn’t be in entering it either.

It’s a reminder I need every year since I love nothing more than a clean slate and fresh start to rev me into high gear. But the thing I know about myself is that once I get started it’s hard to stop.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with a new year already, stop. Take a moment to breathe. We’re only two weeks in and there’s nothing sprinty about getting to the rest of them, so don’t start now. Goals are important, but that doesn’t mean you’ll reach them in a day, and in fact, if you’re burnt out, you never will.

Take it one breath, one step, one day at a time.

For me right now? It’s also one small step at a time! ????????????????

5 Things to Stop Doing in 2020

1. Putting yourself down – STOP thinking or talking negatively about yourself.

The job you have, the house you live in, the clothes you wear, the number of followers on social… none of these things define you. Your worth isn’t determined by what others say about you or even what you say about yourself. Strip everything away, and you’re still YOU. You have value because of WHO you are, not because of what you do.

When you begin to see the value, the good, in who you are and speak to yourself with the grace you show others, WATCH OUT WORLD. (Yep, I’m still learning this one, too.)

Related: Be Good To Yourself Too

2. Overthinking

Let me just give this little example, I’ve been wanting an electric toothbrush for a while now. A small thing, right?

I almost even asked for one for Christmas. And while it is a small thing and one of my big goals for the year is to really start taking care of myself, including my teeth, I kept overthinking…

“We don’t need to spend the money right now.”

“I already have a toothbrush.”

“I’ll mention it to Chris someday.”

“It’s a silly thing to ask for.”

“Maybe I should get all of the kids one too… that will make me feel better about getting one for myself.”

“It’s a little vain to want to take care of my teeth in the new year… even though I am focusing on taking care of myself.”

The list of excuses went on. 

The thing is, all of those thoughts are valid. All of the reasons why or why not have merit. But when we overthink and don’t apply any action, we’ll never move forward. 

What did I do? Well, ya’ll know I love finding good deals, and it wasn’t any different this time either. I found a two-pack of electric toothbrushes (one for me and one for hubby) and I used a $20 coupon, too! I took a step. I added to cart. I’m starting off the year taking care of me… and got a great deal while doing it! 

Now, I’m not saying to go out and spend money that you don’t have or that shouldn’t be spent, and I’m not even saying that you have to spend money at all… what I’m saying is that a priority of mine this year is to take better care of myself, and when the opportunity arose for me to take hold of something that I believe will help propel me forward in that area, I stopped overthinking and started doing.

Related: Six Tips to Successfully Make + Reach Your Goals

3. Attempting to please everyone – you just can’t.

Have you ever set out a meal for a family with six kids?! I mean, this one kind of comes with the territory.

Pleasing everyone? It just won’t happen. Worrying about it won’t change anything and instead robs your peace from the present and your purpose from the future. 

So this year, STOP giving credit to what people think about YOU – they probably aren’t.

4. Letting fear stop you.

It’s so easy for us to see others that look confident on the outside and think that they are – that they’re not walking through fear. Sometimes what we’re seeing from the outside of someone’s confidence is them doing it afraid, it’s them walking boldly past the fear.

And other times when we are witnessing confidence, it has only truly come after the courage of doing it… and doing it over and over and over until the confidence arrives.

Think of it like walking, we didn’t start out walking confidently. We wobbled, we fell, we courageously pulled ourselves up again. When we let fear stop us from trying, from wobbling, from falling, from pulling ourselves up again; we are forfeiting the confidence we would have experienced in the future for the comfort of right now. 

“Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.” Eddie Rickenback

Related: Jumpstart Your Life by Mastering Excuses

5. Thinking it’s too late – it NEVER is.

Thinking it’s too late is akin to living in the past. You can’t move forward if you’re constantly looking behind you, wishing you could do it over, change something, start again. The thing is, you’re here NOW because of your decisions before… but where you’ll be tomorrow and the next day and the day after that? Those days are made from your decisions today. 

When you think about it, today IS a fresh start. So, if there’s something that you wish you could have done, it’s never too late to start now. 

Along with these 5 things to stop, here’s ONE THING TO START DOING THIS YEAR:

Giving yourself (and those around you) a bit of grace. What would it look like if we ALL did this? Out of the above 5 things to stop doing in 2020, which stood out the most to you? I have to say, I’m working on all of them!

Keep reading for more inspirational quotes to spark a successful year ahead!

Can you relate to any of these things to stop doing in 2020? Let me know in a comment below!