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I remember being a kid and thinking that I couldn't wait to be a grown up. There were so many things that I'd be able to DO once I was an adult! While that's definitely true in some aspects, I find myself in my young adulthood now actually looking for things to give up doing. Funny how life works isn't it?
So if you are feeling frustrated or stuck in a rut, like you're spinning your wheels but not actually accomplishing anything, read on. You might find these five things that I've stopped doing are things you want to stop doing too! And if not, I hope that this post is just food for thought on how we can all simplify and bring peace to our lives.
5 Things I've Stopped Doing:
1. Making lists
Ok, seeing as this post is one big, glorified list, I obviously haven't given this up completely. I'm a pretty organized person, and I love a good list to keep me on task when I really need to get stuff done. It's very gratifying to scratch each item off of a to-do list, but that's honestly the reason why I quit making them.
Let me explain. After settling into the post-college work force and getting in the swing of 12 hour shifts, I started making to-do lists for each day that I was off of work (even weekends). I pretty much chalked the days I spent at the hospital up as a loss because really all I do on those days (if I don't get off early) is work, shower, eat, and sleep.
The off day to-do lists were helpful in reminding me of certain events like appointments I may have had, but eventually, each day turned into this overwhelming set of tasks (unload the dishwasher, do laundry, water the plants, walk the dogs, workout, go to the grocery store, vacuum, meal prep, etc.). Inevitably, I would never complete the whole list. I wouldn't get that feeling of gratification that comes with checking everything off, and instead, I would end up feeling frustrated and stressed. It always seemed like there just weren't enough hours in the day!
So, randomly one day, I just didn't make a list. I thought to myself, "I'll get done today what I have time to get done." And I've never really gone back.
2. Baking in the sun
I know I've touched on this several times, so if you're a faithful reader of my blog posts, sorry to bore you. As I've said before, I am a sun goddess. There's just something so peaceful about laying in the sun and reading a good book. I love having a nice tan as much as the next girl, and honestly, I just like the feeling being in the sun gives me.
However, I've noticed in the past two years alone that my skin has changed a lot. I simply don't have my 18 year old skin anymore. I've noticed wrinkles and damage to my skin already. Rather than continue down that path and risk looking like a crinkled up piece of leather when I'm 60 (and/or getting skin cancer), I've started limiting my time in the sun. I still love pool days/lake days/beach days, but I try to be really diligent in applying sunscreen, and shading my face especially.
3. Cleaning my house
Along with feeling like my lists were never getting completed, there came a point about 6 months ago when I was feeling like I spent every single one of my off days cleaning the house. I would try to get a lot done myself on those 2 days so that Greg and I wouldn't have to do it on the weekends, but then I found myself resenting Greg for all the household tasks that he seemingly wasn't doing. I still don't think the man has ever scrubbed a bathtub...but I digress.
The idea that just because I had 2 days off each week, I should spend them doing housewife stuff, really irritated me. Because even though I do get those days off, I still work a full time job (when I actually stay all day 😂), and I didn't think "keeping house" should solely be my responsibility.
My thought was, "if we're both working, then we split the housework." And since that really wasn't happening (not because Greg refused to do it. He is very helpful around the house...when asked), I hired someone.
And she is an angel.
Starting around last October, Dawn comes once a month and basically does all the things I hate doing: dusting, cleaning the bathrooms, mopping the floors, plus a few other things. To me, her fee is a small price to pay. Since she's been coming, I feel significantly less stressed on my off days. I still spot clean here and there (I don't like to live in our own filth, for crying out loud), but I enjoy my off days more now knowing that she will be coming at the end of the month to tackle some of the more time consuming projects.
And, most importantly, Greg and I don't argue anymore about housework. And for that right there, I'd pay Dawn double!
4. Strenuous Workouts
I've always lived a relatively active lifestyle. For much of my young adult life, I was a runner, and I've always enjoyed group fitness classes of all kinds. When Greg and I lived in Nashville, I started going to the same CrossFit gym that he was going to. I enjoyed working out at the same place he did and making "gym friends" together. I also really enjoyed the concept of CrossFit. I liked the fact that the workouts were short but very efficient.
Seemingly out of the blue, I started having some issues with my SI joints (sacroiliac joints, where your hips meet your low back), and unfortunately, CrossFit (and the culture of "just add a few more pounds to your bar") did not help.
When we moved back home in 2016, I started going to a CrossFit gym here. I practically shaved down my shin bone when I tripped doing a box jump, I was constantly ripping my hands open while trying to do pull ups, and I finally OBLITERATED my right SI joint attempting some heavy squats. I was diagnosed with a sprain, but I could hardly walk.
I found myself thinking, "Why on Earth am I doing this to my body?? This is not fun."
After months of recovery, I'm finally at a place again where I can do most of the workouts I love with little to no pain. I saw a physical therapist for a long time, I still have all sorts of issues with my SI joints/tailbone.
So, all of that to say that super strenuous workouts, especially ones where you're swinging really heavy weights around, simply are not worth it to me. They just don't seem to work for my body (or for many women's bodies if I'm being honest). I like staying fit, healthy, and active, but I'll take an aerobics class with my 8 pound dumbbells over an aggressive workout any day.
I want my workouts to be challenging, but most importantly, I want them to be enjoyable.
If it ain't fun, I ain't doin' it.
I've always lived a relatively active lifestyle. For much of my young adult life, I was a runner, and I've always enjoyed group fitness classes of all kinds. When Greg and I lived in Nashville, I started going to the same CrossFit gym that he was going to. I enjoyed working out at the same place he did and making "gym friends" together. I also really enjoyed the concept of CrossFit. I liked the fact that the workouts were short but very efficient.
Seemingly out of the blue, I started having some issues with my SI joints (sacroiliac joints, where your hips meet your low back), and unfortunately, CrossFit (and the culture of "just add a few more pounds to your bar") did not help.
When we moved back home in 2016, I started going to a CrossFit gym here. I practically shaved down my shin bone when I tripped doing a box jump, I was constantly ripping my hands open while trying to do pull ups, and I finally OBLITERATED my right SI joint attempting some heavy squats. I was diagnosed with a sprain, but I could hardly walk.
I found myself thinking, "Why on Earth am I doing this to my body?? This is not fun."
After months of recovery, I'm finally at a place again where I can do most of the workouts I love with little to no pain. I saw a physical therapist for a long time, I still have all sorts of issues with my SI joints/tailbone.
So, all of that to say that super strenuous workouts, especially ones where you're swinging really heavy weights around, simply are not worth it to me. They just don't seem to work for my body (or for many women's bodies if I'm being honest). I like staying fit, healthy, and active, but I'll take an aerobics class with my 8 pound dumbbells over an aggressive workout any day.
If it ain't fun, I ain't doin' it.
5. Saying "Yes" to things that I don't want to do
We live in a culture where being busy is sometimes glorified and even viewed as a sign of success. I love to go, do, and see as much as the next person, but I've learned that I tend to quickly say yes to "just one more thing" and then end up feeling overwhelmed and dreading the things I agreed to.
Now how does that make sense?
Since I've realized this about myself, I try to be really intentional about the things I agree to do. And, I try not to overfill my days/weeks with obligations even if they're "good" things that I would enjoy.
For example, if I agree to be a greeter and set up at Church on Sunday morning, I probably won't agree to sub an exercise class that same afternoon. It may seem silly, and believe me, sometimes I start thinking to myself, "I've got plenty of time. I could do both," or, "I could probably squeeze that in." But, my track record shows that those thoughts usually lead to frustration and resentment. And what's the use of agreeing to something if by the time you do it, you do so begrudgingly? I'd rather commit to one thing and be all in than complete several tasks half heartedly.
As I'm growing older, I'm slowly starting to realize that less truly is more sometimes, and busy is definitely not always better.
Have you given up anything (good or bad) in your adulthood? Could you benefit from quitting some of the same things that I've stopped doing? Let me know in the comments below!
XOXO,
Abby
We live in a culture where being busy is sometimes glorified and even viewed as a sign of success. I love to go, do, and see as much as the next person, but I've learned that I tend to quickly say yes to "just one more thing" and then end up feeling overwhelmed and dreading the things I agreed to.
Now how does that make sense?
Since I've realized this about myself, I try to be really intentional about the things I agree to do. And, I try not to overfill my days/weeks with obligations even if they're "good" things that I would enjoy.
For example, if I agree to be a greeter and set up at Church on Sunday morning, I probably won't agree to sub an exercise class that same afternoon. It may seem silly, and believe me, sometimes I start thinking to myself, "I've got plenty of time. I could do both," or, "I could probably squeeze that in." But, my track record shows that those thoughts usually lead to frustration and resentment. And what's the use of agreeing to something if by the time you do it, you do so begrudgingly? I'd rather commit to one thing and be all in than complete several tasks half heartedly.
As I'm growing older, I'm slowly starting to realize that less truly is more sometimes, and busy is definitely not always better.
Have you given up anything (good or bad) in your adulthood? Could you benefit from quitting some of the same things that I've stopped doing? Let me know in the comments below!
XOXO,
Abby
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