Sometimes humor is the perfect language to make our fears seem a little less overwhelming.

This video by Bob Newhart puts a humorous spin on getting unstuck. Bob is working with a client stuck in her fears, and he tells her how to move forward by giving her two words: “STOP IT!” It’s just a couple minutes and well worth watching.

Ok, good for a laugh, but you might be wondering, how do we actually “stop it?” There’s more to the process of how to move forward, right? The truth is, we often over-complicate our fears. Thinking we can’t “stop it” is a habit we can choose to break. Besides, wouldn’t it feel fantastic to simply just “STOP IT?!” I know, it may sound tricky at first, but let me share some examples.

Here are 10 of my top STOP IT habits to help you move forward faster.

l.  Beating Yourself Up– STOP IT!  Nobody is perfect, and even the best and brightest make mistakes. Be your own best friend and do something nice for yourself today.

2. Hanging out with negative people– STOP IT!  You are the sum of the 5 people you hang around most.  If you notice the people around you are negative or gossip a lot, change who you spend time with.

3.  Complaining – STOP IT!  We all have those bad days or moments from time to time, but when we spend more time complaining about the situation or person – or complaining about what we don’t have – then we are denying ourselves of enjoying the present moment. Try to look for the good in people and situations. You know the saying “you find what you are looking for”.

4.  Thinking small – STOP IT!  Do you ever tell yourself that playing small is ok? Do you make excuses to yourself why it’s okay that you don’t do that very thing you want to do? Maybe even tell yourself you will never have THAT position or go on THAT vacation? Stop thinking small. Think BIG…and go for it!  If you shoot for the stars and end up on the moon, you’ll go further than if you only imagine walking across the street.

5.  Doing the exact same routine every day– STOP IT!   Mix it up and try something new today. As the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. But we have to make the effort to spice things up. Our minds are creatures of habit. If you want something to change in your life, you have to do things differently.  Start by picking one negative habit and do something different (positive habit) for the next 30 days. Imagine how life will feel when you change just that one thing! After you’ve transformed that first habit, pick another. One step at a time, month by month, you can create 12 new healthy habits in a year!

6.  Staying stuck inside all day– STOP IT!  Get outside and enjoy some fresh air. Even if you’re not fond of the weather where you live, go outside anyway. You don’t have to spend hours outside, but at least catch 10 or 15 minutes of fresh air. Take a few deep breaths. Look at the sky and close your eyes. Feel gratitude for the first thing that comes to mind—like the freedom of being able to walk outside and breathe deeply.

7.  Thinking You Can’t do it…but that someone else can.  STOP IT! It’s simple. If they can do it, you can do it. (Yes, it really is that simple). You may need to create some new habits, or learn some new skills, but go after what you truly WANT!

8.  Worrying about what other people think. STOP IT! This one speaks for itself but may be the biggest thing that holds people back. Try channeling all that mental “thought” energy into thinking positive thoughts, like 5 steps you can take to move forward towards your goal.

9.  Giving energy to negative ideas, people and situations: STOP IT! If you are truly ready to learn how to move forward, and get unstuck, this is one of the most important habits to break. The next time you find yourself caught in any situation or conversation that pulls you down, make the choice to exit and put your energy into something positive. This is probable the most critical area where a coach or mentor can help. They can show you how to flip your focus/thoughts towards the results you do want.

10.  Habitually thinking of why you can’t. STOP IT! Start thinking of why you CAN! Make a list of all the ways you CAN do it (don’t worry about the how at this point). This will free up your imagination and put you in a more positive emotion and direction. You will quickly discover there are more reasons why you CAN than why you can’t.

Use these ten tips to empower yourself, boost your confidence, march through your fears and move forward. And, if you get stuck and start thinking negative, limiting thoughts… STOP IT! 🙂

These suggestions may sound easy but can be very difficult habits to break. So, if you are feeling stuck and tired of trying to make changes on your own. I’d love to help you take action and get unstuck. Lets chat! Contact Mary Vivian today.