10 Things I’m Leaving in 2017

HAPPY 2018 EVERYONE!

Last year was absolutely insane for me - in both great and not-so-amazing ways. And like most everyone in the world right now, there are a few things that I've decided to leave in the dark abyss that was 2017.

1. SAYING "I WANT TO" & "I SHOULD"

...and start saying "I am." I've been watching so many YouTube videos on tips and tricks to be productive and become a major boss babe. One of the things I've heard over and over and over... and over again is to stop saying "I should" or "I want to." Why? Because these statements aren't action statements. Wanting something doesn't mean you're going to do what it takes to get it. Saying you should be doing something isn't going to make you do it. These phrases are so passive and I want I'm removing them from my vocabulary in order to be more productive.

2. REGRET

Regretting something is literally dwelling on something that happened in the past. Y'all, WE CANNOT CHANGE THE PAST. Should've, could've, would've isn't going to change what happened, so this year, I vow to stop thinking about the things I can't change and focus on what I can. I will learn from the situation to prevent it from happening again in the future and focus on how things will get better. Regret is something that I have no room for in 2018.

3. TOXIC PEOPLE

I know, I know - this one's pretty obvious. Yet most of us still don't remove toxic people from our lives! If you get a terrible feeling or leave with a bad taste in your mouth after hanging out with someone, there's a reason! One of the most important things I've learned in life is that not everyone is for you! Some people can't handle your big thinking and will try and shrink you down to their level - most of the time subconsciously! They'll make you feel silly for being positive, having big dreams and goals, and try to keep you where you are in life. I don't know about y'all, but I am not trying to be stagnant! So I'm becoming more aware of the people in my life, the energy they bring, and how they make me feel.

4. FEAR & SELF-DOUBT

I've heard this so many times - Fear and Faith can't coexist. It wasn't until the end of 2017 when I stopped to think about this phrase and how true it really is. As the saying goes, "Energy goes where attention flows," so if you're focused on the things that could go wrong, then honey boo boo child, it'll go wrong. There's no gray area when it comes to believing in yourself. So in order to really propel forward, I'm eliminating fear from my life and not focusing on "what if it doesn't happen?" 2018, I'm focusing on "what if it DOES happen?" Live by Faith and not by sight.

5. OVERTHINKING

For as long as I can remember, I've been an overthinker. I used to overanalyze pretty much everything and all it did was cause stress and anxiety. And what caused my overthinking? FEAR! So eliminating fear in my life will also eliminate overthinking, stress, and anxiety. Why think of all the bad outcomes when I can envision all of the amazing things that will happen? Goodbye overthinking, see ya never!

6. COMPARING

When I first moved to LA, I worked at a company where a lot of the on-camera talent were a lot younger than I am. It kept making me wonder if I'm falling behind. What if I'm too old to get to where I want to be? Why don't I have as many subscribers as this YouTuber? Why am I not booking as much as this actress? WHY AM I COMPARING MYSELF!? We all progress at our own speed. What God has for someone else is for someone else, but what God has for me will always be for me! I have to remember that and stop thinking that I'm not doing as well in my career because my path is different than someone else's. So 2018 is the year of no comparing!

7. SETTLING

Y'all, I have settled so dang much in my life and still have the audacity to wonder why things don't work out! A lot of the time, high expectations are looked down upon with comments like "You want what? Good luck with that, girl." But if nobody else says it, let me be the one to remind you that you deserve the absolute BEST! Yeah that boy may be cute, but he doesn't share your same values. Yeah that job makes decent money, but you are absolutely miserable there. Yeah you may have fun partying with her, but she always puts you down and makes you feel bad about yourself by the end of the night. Don't settle for something when you know there's something better out there for you! There's a better significant other for you, there's a better job for you (heck, maybe you're supposed to run your own business), and there are way better friends for you! 2018, I'm done settling for things that I know aren't good for me! Settling isn't in my vocabulary! I'm going for the best of the best in all aspects of life!

8. EXCUSES

Excuses, excuses. I had way too many excuses this past year. There were so many reasons I thought of for why I couldn't do certain things. I even convinced myself that I really didn't have time to do a lot of productive things that could've really pushed me forward in life. I think that was my number one excuse for everything; "I don't have enough time!" But let me tell you, this year I am making time! If that means waking up early, going to bed late, multitasking, I'm going to do it! If I want to do something then gosh darn it I am making it happen! No more excuses!

9. BAD HEALTH HABITS

I have been so lazy in the past, y'all! It's pretty embarrassing now that I think about it. I took pride in eating whatever I wanted, not working out, laying in bed all day, and pretty much being a complete slob. Just because you don't gain weight easily doesn't mean you're healthy, Arianna *giant eye roll.* This is one of the biggest things that I'm leaving in 2017 and it's one of the biggest lifestyle changes that I've already started seeing benefits in. I've started waking up earlier, I get up and make breakfast right away, I've been a lot more tidy and organized, and I've started to cut meat out of my diet. I'm trying to go vegetarian for the entire month of January to improve my health and energy. I'm also making it a point to exercise at least 4 times a week. Now I'm not about to go do p90x everyday or anything like that, but I'm going on more hikes, practicing dance routines from my Pussycat Dolls Workout DVD, doing a bit of Yoga, and other workouts that I enjoy just to get my blood flowing. Plus, my booty has completely vanished and I am trying to get a bae this year so I'll be doing a ton of leg and butt exercises to get my booty sitting high and pretty 💁🏾

10. HATE

There are so many times I was let down and disappointed by others in my life. Instead of dwelling on the pain and the hurt that they caused, I'm releasing any ill-will and anger that I still have for them. Hating someone doesn't do anything but cause myself pain, and I am not giving someone else enough space in my mind to cause me to feel any negative energy. So in 2018, I am forgiving (but not forgetting) anyone who has ever hurt me, betrayed me, or treated me badly. I have no hatred for anyone in my heart and I'm refreshed & ready to move forward with my current and future relationships. 

So that's it! I'm removing those 10 things from my life in 2018 and focusing on a more positive, happy lifestyle. Let me know what you plan to leave in 2017 and what new habits you'll be starting this year!