You probably have a list of things you’d like to do this year, but what are the things you don’t want to do anymore, or things you know you should let go of but haven’t yet? Bad habits are difficult to stop, yet not impossible, and there’s no better time than now. Here are 10 bad habits worth breaking in 2016:
- Being a flake. 2015 was The Year Of The Flake. You flaked on first dates when you got scared. You flaked on your besties when you wanted to watch Netflix instead (and you thought you were being so sneaky). If you can stop cancelling or rescheduling plans for zero reason in 2016, you’ll be off to an amazing start.
- Apologizing for everything. Here’s the truth: you need to apologize for being a jerk or hurting someone’s feelings, but beyond that, you don’t need to. You’re not Justin Bieber. You have a right to feel what you feel and think what you think. End of story.
- Talking yourself out of things. It’s always so much easier to tell yourself you can’t or shouldn’t do something rather than just taking a chance and going for it. This year, if you want to do something, actually do it. Write that novel. Cook. Call your childhood BFF and reconnect. Ask that guy out. What are you waiting for, 2017? There’s literally no point having a dream if you’re not going to follow it.
- Being forgetful. It seems pretty acceptable these days to forget plans, birthdays, party invites, but really, there isn’t anything ruder than not texting a good friend on their day of birth or not responding to an invitation. Stop being so forgetful and show up when you’re supposed to. Your best friends mean the world to you, so why not show it?
- Waiting for tomorrow. Tomorrow always seems like a much better day to do something because you don’t want to put any effort into living your best life today. Wait for the next day and it becomes the day after that and you’ll be waiting forever. Accomplish something now so you don’t have to feel like crap. Procrastination is no fun.
- Feeling guilty for saying no. This is an annoying yet tough habit to let go of. You never have to feel guilty because you don’t want to do something. You’re taking care of yourself and your wants/needs and that’s all you need to do.
- Staying up past midnight on a weeknight. You’re not in college anymore (thankfully, for the most part). So why are you still acting like it? You have a job and a boss and a life to live, and you can’t be at your best if you don’t get enough shut-eye. Soon you’ll be addicted to getting your beauty rest if you let this become part of your 2016 wellness routine.
- Obsessing over junk food. Ordering in restaurants is the hardest thing ever. Your heart is telling you French fries and your brain is telling you order the green salad. This year, stop this debate once and for all and get the fries. Your heart should always win, whether it comes to love or junk food.
- Pretending you don’t want to fall in love. It’s somehow become cool to pretend you have zero emotions and never want a relationship. But you do, or you wouldn’t be voluntarily going on so many bad dates. Stop faking it and admit you want love. You deserve it.
- Slacking off at work. There’s always something you want to do more than work, no matter how into your career you are. There are tweets to read and food blogs to drool over and daydreams to be had. But if you can stop slacking and start living up to your potential, 2016 can really be your year.
