I have lived my life in Non-Stop pursuit of improvements accomplishments information and progress and that's usually what Society urges us to do influencers tell us to do more books tell us to be more YouTube videos tell us to get more done but I pumped the brakes and looked for a better way because it didn't feel like this was the answer to life so I took a careful look at all of the things I was doing and ask myself what can I stop doing so that I can slow down and feel much better about things I've
collected the 21 most critical things I stopped doing I split them into five categories and within each category I saved the best tip for last let's get it category one mental number one I stopped thinking about my problems rumination it's the most self-sabotaging thing you can do there have been studies showing that thinking about your problems is one of the largest contributors to depression I decided to stop constantly mulling over my problems and shortcomings and just let them be we're all imperfect we do our best tell your brain to quiet down stop thinking about your
problems the more you give them attention the larger they become number two I stopped caring what others think the amount of time that's wasted on caring what others think man it's shocking if you actually sum it up just stop how about you live life and enjoy yourself rather than thinking about someone else's thoughts which they probably don't have and also it doesn't matter to your happiness this one just stop it what a waste of time number three I stopped social media do I have to explain this one just because you can see and hear everyone's
opinions now on social media apps doesn't mean you need to and it doesn't mean it helps you it's a distraction it's noise and it rots your brain and steals your time I stopped spending time on Twitter Instagram Tik Tok and it freed up tons of time and it let me live my life number four I stopped thinking I know everything as you age you get jaded and you overestimate your own knowledge of the world and if you keep thinking nothing around you is novel guess what perception of time actually speeds up and you perceive a
shorter life isn't that crazy so I now pretend like I'm a newborn baby or an alien visiting this planet when I see the most mundane thing I Marvel at its existence wow this bench in the park it's been here for so long it has been a seat for so many people so many lives and it has probably so many stories it can share this fascination with simple things in life will make you appreciate things more and will slow down time for you so much to get into on this one but we'll leave it here for
now category two food number five I stopped always eating something different so much time wasted on choosing what to eat and even more on preparing different kinds of food all the time it's similar to being a slave to your taste buds having good food is very important in life but I didn't feel the need to have something different and amazing all the time so most days I eat a meal prep that is easy to make and is healthy and coste efficient saves me time money and keeps me healthy simple number six I stopped drinking alcohol
regularly drinking alcohol dulls the senses inhibits memory and makes your next day feel horrible a few drinks with good people every now and then can be nice but I drew the line very clearly to make sure I wasn't doing it more than I really intentionally wanted to a lot more remembered moments and less time feeling hung over and horrible thank goodness number seven I stopped taking supplements the amount of supplements that are pushed by influencers and companies is astonishing I decided to chill out on taking anything other than what I was really deficient in vitamin
D is the main one anything from mushroom pills to powders Etc I just cut it off a lot less risk of side effects and taking in the nutrition from Good Old whole Natural Foods is just a better experience number eight I stopped rushing my meals eating time is very important to me in the high paced push of society the good stuff can be rushed and you miss out on such good calm moments I Savor my meals now I sit eat observe my surroundings and take lessons from how certain cultures Relish in their meal times like
from Spain France and Italy number nine I stopped always always eating with someone else some people have a deep fear of eating by themselves I stopped caring and have been eating outside by myself just for fun it's been great not having to make food decisions together being able to quietly observe my surroundings have my own thoughts and just enjoy the present it's turned outside Meal Time into Many Adventures for myself and meditative moments in new surroundings Category 3 three being present number 10 I stopped having my earphones on when I walk I used to use
up any spare moments I had to take in new information podcasts audiobooks all of the above now when I walk outside I don't have my earphones in I am just taking in my surroundings and being present in my environment I listen to The Sounds around me I observe things and like we stated before I Marvel at the once mundane things and develop a deeper appreciation for everything number 11 I stopped making reservations making reservations to restaurants arguably is top 10 most stressful things so I stop doing it all the time I just wander I pick
an area of the city that I'd enjoy walking through then I walk and peer through Windows see if any food place lurs me in then I ask if they have a seat available if not I go to the next never fail to find something new and fun to try this makes every search for food more adventurous and I don't waste mental energy to try and grab a reservation every single time I go out to eat number 12 I stopped documenting everything the urge to take photos and videos and audio recordings of moments in life is
pretty strong and that's what social media pushes us to do I decided it distracted me away from actually enjoying my life most times so I focused my energy on appreciating the moments rather than documenting them number 13 I stopped multitasking in General trying to do multiple things at once means you aren't really fully doing a single thing cooking with the TV on in the background watching a movie with your phone in your hand focus on the more important things the more enjoyable things in general turn the TV off put the phone away live your life
more intentionally number 14 I stopped beining my way beining is going from point A to point B in the fastest way possible I don't do that anymore I walk through areas that interest me I choose safe Paths of course but I make those times more an adventure than a task I walk slowly I observe surroundings I peer into shop windows I smile at some pups walking home or walking to the store is not a chore that needs to be done it's an experience itself and I spend my time to absorb the goodness of those moments
category 4 exercise number 15 I stopped exercising every day packing the days with exercise and fear that you might regress is overwhelming I stopped having the expectation that I needed to exercise every single day the occasional rest day is good for body recovery and I don't stress out if I miss a day for whatever reason number 16 I stopped going for looks having how you look as the main goal is tiring and a waste of energy it consumes you and makes you spend too much time on a very surface level thing I trust that exercise
is making me healthy and helping me feel real good about myself and life so I focus on that then I worry less and I'm able to focus my time on more important things number 17 I stopped only exercising in the gym or a class tying myself to a physical location for exercise is limiting and forceful I now fill my exercise by going for a walk after I eat and doing squats in the home I make it super easy to get my exercise done then this way I have more flexibility and can have a day's schedule
be more in my control category five Financial number 18 I stopped always wearing something different how having to choose a different outfit each day can be mentally and financially draining I decided that if there's a comfortable outfit that I like then I get several pieces of that and remove the need to think too much about what I wear it has done wonders for clearing up my mind and letting my mind slow down and just relax number 19 I stopped wearing Brands this one ties back with me not caring what others think anymore I don't care
about signaling anything with my clothing it makes me less self self-conscious and it makes my presence less loud so I don't have to think about it oh and it's better for my wallet as well double whammy number 20 I stopped buying coffee Outside the Lines the Disposable cups the cost the poor quality be gone now I make my coffee at home just the way I like it and put it in a thermos making coffee at home is meditative for me I don't have to wait in line I save money and it tastes great because it's
how I like it number 21 I stopped buying more than I let go of having a lot of stuff weighs down the Mind especially if you can see those things every day and it clutters your home now I don't buy anything unless I throw away or sell at least two other things in the home this way it's a Perpetual reduction of clutter it cleans the space it cleans the mind and it brings peace and calm to my life share in the comments what you stopped doing this year to embrace slow living and if you'd like
to learn a bit more on how to stop caring about what others think check out this video here
