7 Things That Are Keeping You From Living Your Best Life

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Your life is a continual path of self-discovery and evolution.

From our awkward teenage years, to our exploratory, soul searching college years, and into our roller coaster twenties, thirties, and beyond, we’re constantly changing and learning more about the person we are, and who we want to become.

But sometimes we inhibit our own growth, and block ourselves from reaching our true potential. There are behaviors and habits we unknowingly have that hold us back. This in turn prevents us from evolving into the best version of ourselves, and also keeps us from living our best lives possible.

So if you’re wondering what may be holding you back from living your best life possible, take a look at these 8 potential roadblocks.

7 Things That Are Keeping You From Living Your Best Life

1. Staying in a job that’s going nowhere. At some point or another, you’re going to find yourself in a dead-end job. You may find yourself dispassionate about the role, or worse, you may loathe and detest every aspect of the job. The point is, it’s a job that’s going nowhere.  Do yourself, your career, and your soul the favor, and start looking for a job that feeds your passion, and sparks your imagination.

2. Constantly beating yourself up. It’s ok to be someone that actively tries to improve their weaker areas, but constantly looking for ways to criticize yourself, or convincing yourself that you’re just “not good enough,” is a self-handicapping, debilitating behavior. Instead of focusing on everything you wish you could change about yourself, focus on the things you do well and what makes you unique. You’re not doing yourself any favors by actively standing in the way of reaching your potential.

3. Trying to keep all your friendships, even the unhealthy ones.  While it may have been key to stay friends with everyone in high school purely for survival reasons, most of us are probably past that chapter by now. Toxic friendships are emotionally draining, and something you shouldn’t have to put up with. If you have friends that constantly use you for their own self-gain, consistently stand you up, or habitually take you for granted, it’s time to cut ties with them. Believe me, when the only relationships you have in your life are those that are healthy and positive, your quality of life improves drastically.

4. Staying in a relationship that’s not going anywhere.  We all have our reasons for staying in a relationship that’s going nowhere. You may be delaying the inevitable simply because you know the break-up will be hard. Or you may be staying in a dysfunctional or toxic relationship because you’ve convinced yourself that you don’t deserve better. Whatever your reason for staying in a stagnant relationship, the time is now to end it and finally move forward.

5. Always choosing comfort over risk and spontaneity. After a long week at work, it’s pretty hard to resist a night in watching Netflix. But spending night after night in, consistently passing up opportunities,  and always choosing comfort over risk restricts your ability to grow and challenge yourself. So the next time an invitation to go out with friends comes up, or the next time a window of vacation days pops up, seize the opportunity. It may not always be the most comfortable move, nor the most convenient, but the rewards always outweigh the risk.

6. Being too afraid to ask for what you deserve.  Having a fear for the unknown is normal, and even healthy. But choosing to remain silent because you fear the answer is self-crippling. You’ll never know the answer unless you ask. Whether you’ve been wanting to ask your boss for that raise, for that promotion, or if you’ve been wanting to ask your crush out, don’t wait any longer. Stop putting off what could be a wonderful opportunity, and ask the question.

7. Putting off what you REALLY want to do. We all have our secret bucket lists that we keep stashed away in our minds. Maybe you’ve always wanted to travel to Greece. Or maybe you’ve been wanting to go for your master’s degree for some time now. Or perhaps you’ve been wanting to move to a new city, and try something new. Stop putting off the things you’ve always wanted to do. This is your life, and you only get one shot at it.