We ultimately become what we habitually do. If our daily habits aren’t moving us forward, they’re likely holding us back. Here are four widespread examples of the latter that literally held most of the people I know back over the past year (myself included), and some tips for turning things around if one or more of these daily habits held you back too.

1. We weighed ourselves down with unhelpful thoughts.

Twenty years ago, when Marc and I were just undergrads in college, our psychology professor taught us a lesson we’ve never forgotten. On the last day of class before graduation, she walked up on stage to teach one final lesson, which she called “a vital lesson on the power of [Read more…]

You won’t always be a priority to others, and that’s why you need to be a priority to yourself. Practice respecting yourself, caring for yourself, and becoming a reliable part of your own support system.

When it comes to the importance of self-respect and self-care, there’s a lot to say. But let’s lighten the mood first by beginning with this:

A puppy thinks: “Hey, these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me with a warm, dry home, pet me, and take good care of me…

… THEY MUST BE GODS!”

A kitten thinks: “Hey, these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me with a warm, dry home, pet me, and take good care of me…

… I MUST BE A GOD!”

Same situation, different thinking.

To a great extent, we make our life stories by [Read more…]

by Courtney Carver, author of Project 333

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.”
— Hans Hofmann

Because I wrote a book about a fashion challenge, you might think I want to tell you what clothes to wear. I don’t.

Most of us have spent so much time, energy, and money on what we wear and how we look that the last thing anyone needs is more fashion advice.

I will however tell you what not to wear if you want more peace and ease in your life.

1. You never again have to wear the guilt of your past.

Guilt about the past isn’t serving your present. In fact, because of that guilt, you aren’t fully seizing and enjoying what’s in front of you today. Whether it’s guilt about letting go of something in your closet that you spent too much on, or guilty thoughts about a past relationship or anything in between, you have paid enough. You’ve paid with your money, time, attention, and [Read more…]