It seems like everyone is in a race to be the best
— the best parent, the best spouse, the best
neighbor, the best PTA president. To become
the best, people often lose sight of the things
that really matter. Unfortunately, I’ve even seen
this in my own life. As my husband worked
toward a law degree, I pushed forward, day
after day, trying my best to be a supportive
wife — the best homemaker, the best mom, the
best neighbor, etc. But I often found myself
burned out and discouraged. At times, I just
couldn’t do it.
This shouldn’t have happened. I shouldn’t have
allowed myself to become consumed by the
need to be the best in every aspect of life, and
neither should you. As I contemplated what I
needed to change, I realized I was carrying
garbage. I was holding on to habits and
thoughts that were tearing me down. I needed
to throw things out and never look back again.
Here are five pieces of garbage you should
quickly toss out and never hoard.

Doubt:
When my husband started law school, we
moved hundreds of miles away from family and
friends. I knew nobody and I could hardly
navigate our town with the million one-way
streets. I had a lot of doubt about what my
husband and I were doing, why we felt we were
supposed to be in this town, how I was going to
raise a family so far away from my family, etc.
According to an article in the Huffington Post,
self-doubt leads to anxiety and depression,
which, in turn, leads to numerous physical and
mental consequences like weight gain, high
blood pressure and chronic fatigue.
When doubt creeps into our minds, when we
start to question “why,” it can consume us. It
can tear us down until we give up on
everything. However, it doesn’t have to. When
you start to experience doubt, pull out your
notebook and make a list of all the good in your
situation. Think about your good qualities,
about the blessings and tender mercies you
receive each and every day. Also, don’t be
afraid to talk to someone about your feelings.
Positivity from another person is the perfect
way to throw out any doubt you have about
yourself or your current situation.

Fear of failure:
It isn’t uncommon to let the fear of failure stop
us from accomplishing our goals. When
thoughts of failure creep into your mind, just
think about the worst possible scenario. Often,
it really isn’t as bad as you think, or you can
plan ahead to avoid that situation. When you
create a plan, you are prepared. When you are
prepared, you cannot fail.

Procrastination:
Procrastination is a terrible, nasty habit that will
only stop you from reaching your full potential.
Many people come up with a million excuses
why they should put something off: the kids are
taking a nap, I’ll wait until my husband comes
home, etc. However, putting things off doesn’t
help. In fact, it only makes things worse. I am a
firm believer in creating a daily to-do list and
schedule. If you know exactly what needs to be
done and you prioritize your tasks, it is easier to
keep working throughout the day. Plus, the
feeling of satisfaction as you cross items off the
list is contagious.

Laziness:
Laziness goes hand-in-hand with
procrastination. Being lazy doesn’t just mean
being idle in family and household
responsibilities. It also refers to our physical
bodies and our health. If we do not put forth
the effort to properly care for our bodies, we
won’t have the energy to become our best. We
won’t be able to care for our children, be
supportive spouses and manage our
households. Throw away your lazy habits and
participate in some type of physical activity
every day. It doesn’t have to be a large or
overexerting workout — just move. Also, be
careful of what you eat. You don’t want to eat
anything that will suck away your energy. Put
food in your body that will fuel it like fruits,
veggies, protein, etc.

Over-analyzing:
We may not realize it, but over-analyzing
situations can be a large burden on us and it’s
something we need to get rid of fast. We may
find ourselves in many situations where we
don’t feel comfortable or something is said that
makes us upset. People may critique your
parenting or say something about your
marriage or how you run your household, etc.
Don’t overanalyze what they say. If it isn’t kind
or if it is judgmental, push it away. Don’t dwell
on it and don’t think about it.
You can easily lose sight of the things that
matter by losing focus on your life. Evaluate
your life. Think about those things that are
tearing you down and throw them out. Get a
giant garbage can and chuck them. You will
feel so much better

I think I am d commander in chief when it comes to procrastination