Just Stop It...

30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

Posted on December 16, 2011 | 41 Comments

I loved every word of the post below and wanted to share it on here. Its a worthy part of your 2011 reflection exercise to reflect on the things you want to stop doing, and leave behind in the current year as you move on to the year ahead. For me…as I truthfully reflect on 2011, its got to be numbers 8, 12, 19, 23 and 26 (you’ll know what I mean shortly, read on). Although, at one time or another it was everything on the list below.
I do have to acknowledge myself for the numbers that I just breeezed past and realized “Hey! I’m not that girl anymore! Way to go!” I can recognize the areas that I’ve grown and feel proud, and this is another key element of it all. So if you decide to read below, don’t be a self-hater and try to take on all of the advice at once. Acknowledge yourself for the ones you skip and realize that you don’t need any work in that area of your life. It’s okay to pat yourself on the back once in a while. Make sure to be kind to yourself too, you have plenty of time to take on all of the numbers below. Something tells me you’ll know where to start…
XO
♥ D
30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.

As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Nothing could be closer to the truth. But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you. You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot. Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth. And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on. No, it won’t be easy. There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them. We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems. That’s not how we’re made. In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall. Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time. This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself. Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves. Read The Road Less Traveled .
4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too. Yes, help others; but help yourself too. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you likeeveryone else. Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you. Don’t change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing. Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success. You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us. We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future. Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
9. Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive. But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either. You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else. Read Stumbling on Happiness .
11. Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place. Evaluate situations and take decisive action. You cannot change what you refuse to confront. Making progress involves risk. Period! You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely. It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company. There’s no need to rush. If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet. Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you. But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others doing better than you. Concentrate on beating your own records every day. Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
16. Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own. Ask yourself this: “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you. You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough. But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past. You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation. So smile! Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
18. Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart. You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate. Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.” It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.” Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself! And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too. If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway. Just do what you know in your heart is right.
21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting. Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things. The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
23. Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done. Read Getting Things Done .
24. Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile. Don’t take the easy way out. Do something extraordinary.
25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while. You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well. You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears. The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life. When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out. But making one person smile CAN change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. So narrow your focus.
28. Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy. One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time? Three years? Five years?” If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen. Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
30. Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs. Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing

Merry Christmas!

From Christmas Pajamas, To Baking Santa's Cookies, To Leaving Out His Milk & Cookies & Santa Delivering Our Gifts, & The Kids Smiles When They Tore Into Them, We Had A Perfect Christmas At Home With Our Littke Family!
<3... Kristie Michelle

Good Grief...

So 2 weeks & 2 days ago, was Thanksgiving. I received a call from my cousin that my great grandmother Aminta Montelongo had passed away at the age of 94. I was sad, but I was handling it well because on October 8th I got to sit with my gramma and family and celebrate her 94th birthday with family love & cake! So I got to see her in good spirits and very recent before her death..
Now 2 days ago, I received a call from my mother telling me that my Great Grandmother Charlotte June Losey passes away after a 5 year battle with breast cancer. I am talking this death a lot harder. I am having a very hard time because I feel so guilty that I hadn't gone to or gotten to visit her. I last saw my gramma June on her 89th birthday. We enjoyed ice cream at our famed home town ice cream parlor Superior Dairy.
2 weeks to the day that I lost one great grandma, I lost the other. I know i was very blessed to have any great grandmothers left at all, but I am so sad that I have lost them.
My heart hurts so bad and I know I am grieving and I was still dealing with Gramma Amintas death when I was bombarded with another. I feel so overwhelmed and destroyed and I don't really know how to deal.
I've cried so much these last 2 weeks more for my gramma June because I feel unsettled with her death and less for grandma Aminta because I had closure with her and got to hug her and teller her I loved her and goodbye at her party. Grandma June, I had to hold her cold hands at her viewing and tell her I loved her and say goodbye.
I am so so so deeply saddened. I can't seem to forgive myself for not stopping in her nursing home and visiting her or calling her or making some kind of an effort to see her in this last hard year of her life. I really truly hate myself for it. My heart hurts. Literally I feel sharp stabbing tearing pains. It hurts so so bad.
After Grandma Aminta passed I told my mom, we need to go visit Gramma June before its too late... I never did and time was cut so short I didn't have time too.
I was unable to travel out of town to go to my Grandma Amintas viewing and Funeral and I was fine with that I had already had my closure as I said. Plus my brother texted me throughout the services and told me how beautiful it was and how beautiful my gramma was and how a memory I shared with her was read on her Eulogy.
I was however able to make it to my Grandma Junes viewing and graveside memorial and still I feel terrible.
Pastor Andrew Uyeyama a former preschool and Sabbath school peer of mine spoke at my grammas service and it helped a bit. I feel as I'd my gramma was alone, even though she wasn't, at all, I wasn't there so I feel that I abandoned her. But Pastor Uyeyama said about my gramma that she was such a devoted Christian and that Gods people do not die alone. I know she went to sleep and woke up and saw the face of the Lord. I know that she was in so much pain the last few years and that now she isn't. Although my heart is in pain and crying, she is happy and healthy now with the lord.
My grandmother was a very devout christian. She hated missing a day of church. She used to take me with her on Saturdays to the sabbath! I miss those times so much. She always has spearmint gum and dried fruit in her purse for me to snack on. She would rub and scratch my back and it made me feel so safe, protected and comforted.
I love both my grandmas so much and I always will carry them in my heart. This picture is my Grandma Aminta RiP, my last living Grandma Marina, and my grandma June RiP<3

Being Thankful...

I have seen several blogs and all my friends on Facebook post daily what they are Thankful for so far this month. I think its a great idea, so 17 days in, I am going to catch it up...

Day 1: I am thankful for my children, without them, there would be no reason to get out of bed!

Day 2: I am thankful that I have a vehicle so I can take Madi to and from school!

Day 3: I am thankful for the roof over my head.

Day 4: I am thankful for the food on my plate & in my belly!

Day 5: I am thankful for my friends, who never let me be alone with my thoughts for too long when I try and seclude myself, they will just come on over and drag me out of the house to get me outta my funky mood, for that I am very grateful!

Day 6: I am thankful for the luxury of a cellphone, I don't know how I would entertain myself if I wasn't able to text all day!

Day 7: I am thankful that I have the luxury of being able to stay at home with my babies right now.

Day 8: I am thankful for some of my abilities and talents.. That sometimes I tend to over look, but then theres my friends, and they remind me of how great I can be at times.

Day 9: I am thankful for my daughters kind heart. She is so innocent and sweet still, and I hope that as she grows, she keeps her warmth and isn't corrupted by the real world, that she embraces it and does her small part to make it a better place!

Day 10: I am thankful for my sons comprehension and growth! He is an amazing kid,  almost 28 months, and so smart & courteous. Everything is please & thank you, bless you, you welcome.. He offers to help do small tasks. He is just amazing.

Day 11: I am thankful for Pepsi & Coffee, because without those two fueling Beverages, I probably wouldn't make it through half of the days!

Day 12: I am thankful for water! For drinking water, swimming water, bathing water, clothes washing water.. I feel grateful knowing I have good clean water, it is a blessing.

Day 13: I am very thankful to our lord god for waking me up every morning and keeping me here to breath during my days past and days to come.

Day 14: I am thankful that I have 2 nieces or nephews coming to me 2 weeks apart in April, its going to warm my heart so much more!

Day 15: I won't lie, I'm thankful for social media and the internet and all its advantages! Facebook, Pinterest & Blogger!! Ahhh :)

Day 16: I am thankful for my baby brother, who is almost 23 years old, expecting his first child, but he will always be my little brother!

Day 17: I am most thankful for my parents. Without my mom and dad I would be nowhere. Not that I am anywhere special in life right now, and I could do better with myself, but without them, I would be stranded. Without them I wouldn't be able to communicate, my kids probably wouldn't have the things they want & need, everything. There is just so much to be grateful to them for I will never be able to express it. Thank you mom and dad for everything you do for my and my babies<3

Just not myself...

I don't really know whats been going on with me lately.

I haven't been myself. 

I have been avoiding friends, I've been short tempered. 

I don't like it.. 

Feels like I have got some SAD going on this season. 

Hopefully I can get out of this Rut!

A Break...

So my parents took both of my kids to the Coast on Sunday for an overnight trip to return them to me on Monday evening! It was so nice, but not without hesitation and wrecked nerves! Haha!

So Sunday morning we got up and I got the kids bathed and ready for the day at 8:am my parents were here at 9:am, loaded them and took them on their merry little way, but not without 100 kisses and hugs from me first!

Doug woke up after the kids left, he was pretty sad that he slept through their departure. Him and I spent the morning and early afternoon watching the 49ers vs. Eagles football game! Whew, I lost faith in the first half, then the game got pretty edge of your seat, nail biting and entertaining the second half! OMG it was amazing to watch them win! 24-23! Oh yes, it was so close! 

After the Game, Doug had to take off to Work, he stayed and extra 15mins to finish the game and cut his commute time close... I jumped in the shower when he left because my friend Stephanie, insisted that i get out of the house!

So Steph  and Adam picked me up about 3:30! We took the car through the car wash, hit up Starbucks for some libations and then hit the open road and headed toward Tulare Outlets for some shopping.

We shopped til we dropped, literally, we were exhausted! Lol it was so much fun! I played dress up with Stephanie, I must have made her change 20 times! We were searching for an outfit for her to wear to her 10 year high school reunion!

After we got her outfit, we sat outside waiting for Adam to go get his outfit, they are going to look very snazzy I must say! While waiting for Adam, I was feeling so hungry I felt like a cannibal! Stephanie is lucky she didn't lose a finger! 

So after we left the outlets, we all decided that dinner sounded good, we drove into Visalia and went to eat at Mimis Cafe! Dinner was delicious! I had the Mediterranean Chicken  Alfredo, Steph had Chicken Parm & Adam had Shrimp over Asparagus Raviolli! Everything was good, of course we taste tested each others! We all sat and ate dinner with our Smart Devices in Hand Haha... It had to be a sight to other people!

After dinner we started heading back to Lemoore and took a detour in Hanford for some Cold Stones Ice Cream, where I tipped the employees there and made them sing the Tip song, it was so great! :) Haha made my day!

We headed abck to Steph and Adams place in Lemoore and watched Adam put together their new entertainment Tv stand, its gorgeous! I may have gotten a little OCD in her house and swept and dusted and stuff, haha! :) 

Steph brought me home, and when we got back to my place I asked ehr to turn around and take me back to a conveinence store, she was a good sport and did! Thanks Steph. We got back to my place and while we were in my kitchen and I was putting my leftovers away for Doug, Steph informed me that she had never been past my front rooms and bathroom, so I gave her the grand tour of the place haha! Doug got home, we 3 chit chatted for a bit then she went home.

Doug and I sat down to watch some crazy movie on TV and I must have passed out on the couch, because I awoke at 6:30am in the living room on the couch still, so I went to bed. Then of course, because it was a Monday, all my alarms went off waking us at 7. I shut them off and continued sleeping! I must have slept all day, because i awoke again, just in time so send Doug off to work!

I got ready for the day when he left, ran to the corner store for Gas, went grocery shopping then came home to patiently wait for my babies to come home! Oh I was so happy they were home finally about 6:pm, I had missed them like crazy. Now that my nerves calmed when my parents returned them to me in one piece, I immediately felt relieved and am now actually looking forward to the next time I get to enjoy myself like that, for it had been a long time since I have had such a break! I truly had a good time, it was nice!

Some pictures my parents took of my babies on their get away! <3

All Summer Long...

I didn't write not one blog all summer long. I keep forgetting then something brings me back. I've said it before, and I'm gonna say it again, I am going to try to blog more often. :) 

It's the end of the world as we know it... & I feel fine!

So today was an overall alright day, I slept kind of cruddy and had a mad headache all day! I managed to throw some make-up on this morning, it has been awhile since I've worn any. Madi had a good day at school, her an Jakey played for awhile outside at home after school with a little girl from the other kindergarten class at Madis school, they rode scooters around the sidewalk track & had some popsicles! After playtime we went in and I put Jake down for a nap, Mommy went down for a nap for a little while too! It felt good.

I juiced for the first time on my own today! Like 3 years ago, Doug's mom told me she had another Juicer under her counter, after she got a Jack Lalannes, so I had Doug ask her if she still had it and sure enough she did! She sent it with him and I juice Oranges, Carrotts and a Banana! Then Madison wanted to Juice, she had watched me do the first glass, so she knew exactly what she was doing. Madi juiced herself a glass of Orange, Carrot & Apple juice! :)

My dad came out and picked up Madi, shes going out to dinner & spending the night with her Gramma & Papa! Then tomorrow, God forbid its the "Rapture", I will drop Jake off over there and they will go to my cousin Ashley's 10th Birthday party! Then Stephanie and I will be going for massages at 2:45 or so! Oh I can't wait! I've been dealing with terrible back, hip and sciatic pain the last few weeks!

Well Doug just stepped out front and realized that all the neighborhood kids, that do not live in the same area that we do in the apartments, were outside destroying a tree! They peeled the bark off of this tree all the way around it :(  Poor Tree. And where the hell are these kids parents? Doug told them to knock it off and they all left.

I think I might head to the store in a little while and buy an array of fruit that I can use to juice! Mmm! :) Or maybe not, if its the end of the world. Gosh.. Who knows...

 Lost of prayers and positive energy goes to my neighbor Lori who is placing an offer on a home right now! Good luck Lori!~<3

10 Weeks & 3 Days...

Now my last blog was about how I hadn't posted a blog in 3 days.. Wow, its been 10 weeks & 3 days now since my last one! Crazy. I know my blog feels abandoned. I'm sorry. I say this every time too, I'm going to start posting more, or all the time. I will try. I'm so flaky at times though... We will see!

Tonight I'm going to make Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup for dinner, its been a chilly last few days, so I've been craving it. Today, is beautiful and Sunshiny, & I, am making Soup for dinner, Lol.. Call me what you will. ;)

I've been trying to take more pictures lately.. I've been doing alright I feel. I love to take pictures, its great therapy to hear the compliments I hear. Not that I'm a great photographer, but mostly my subjects are amazing and cute, like my kids for one, and Yosemite Nation Park for two. They are both natural beauties and I shouldn't accept any credit for the beauty of my pictures when those things are involved! Lol..

I better start dinner.. I think I hear Doug's van bumpin' down the road, I bet he will be hungry..

Til my next blog, I will leave you some pictures of my preciousness!

       

                                                          



Three Days Ago...

Three days ago was my last blog post, I'm getting super sloppy & forgetting to post. I always have things to say, I just never get on here and write it down!

The last 3 days have been good! Considering 2 of them were Saturday & Sunday, I love the weekend! Saturday morning, Doug gets donuts! Mmm! We all got dressed and headed out yardsaling. Just to get out of the house. We stopped off at my sister-in-laws, Dougs sisters house and had pizza for lunch while all the cousins played and had a good time! Afterwards we returned home and I took a little nap, I still hadn't been sleeping well and I was exhausted. It was about 15min nap, then I got up and packed Madis stuff up because, Saturday night, she went to spend the night with my mom & dad, which is her Gramma & Papa! She called me at like 6 and said "Mom, I wanna come home because I love you!" My mom distracted her with Scooby Doo cartoons until she finally fell asleep.

While Madi was at her Gramma & Papas, we kicked off Bbqing, with my neighbors & friends with some Starbucks to pep us up! We had a Feast! Tri-Tip, Ribs, Chicken Breast, Hot Dogs & Linguicia! Rice, Macaroni Salad, Green Salad, 2 Kinds of Potato Salads, & Garlic Bread! I'm sure there was more I just can't remember! We had Chocolate Layered Cake & Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Cake for dessert & call sat outside socializing, you know, our picnic table Therapy!

Sunday was a lazy day, not only did we wake up to no Madi, but my mom & dad came and picked up Jakob too! They took the kids to Breakfast then back to their house and my Grandma & Grandpa went over to visit my kiddos. Mean while, Doug and I are home, bored out of our minds because we were kid free for a few hours. We proceeded to watch the kids movie, Megamind about 10 times, and Napped! Such an exciting time! We went to pick up the kids after we ate some leftover Bbq stuff for lunch!

We visited with my parents for awhile, then were heading home & Doug saw a few people out riding their motorcycles & we made a detour out to his parents house to pick up one of his Bikes. I had to drive the van home! :)

For dinner, I was Tired of Meat! Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Meat Loaf, Grilled Chicken, Tacos, Then BBQ Again! Eew, I couldn't do it again, I felt like such a Carnivore, bogged down and gross! I needed something Fresh! I was thinking Subway sandwiches, and Doug said he'd go to the store for Sub sandwich bread and we'd make our own. I then started texting with my neighbor friend Lori, & she said she was going to make Ceviche for dinner! I said, Mmm I want some minus the seafood! So we sent Doug to the store for Veggies & Fruits! We made Pico, with Avacado and Cucumber & we made Fruit Salad! Mmm.. So dinner was so Fresh we ate the Pico with Lime Tortilla Chips!

I was so full, but in a healthier feeling way then I have all week!

Today, for breakfast I had leftover fruit salad & for lunch I'm making a grilled Chicken sandwich on a wheat bun out of leftovers & having some Pico! Mmm!

I'm kind irritated today. Doug forgot to leave me the carseat, and when I went to pick up Madison from school I realized the carseat was not there! UGH! I called Doug and gave him a piece of my mind! Although its not really anyones fault. I panicked. I managed though, picked up Madi on time & returned home.

I'm also excited, today is supposed to be Scentsy delivery day! I ordered from my neighbor friend Krystle, & I've been dying for it! I'm waiting to see UPS pull up and then I will be so excited I'll probably pee my pants! Not really, I'm just kidding, but I am very excited!

Haha you should see me, every car thats driving by, I'm running to look out the window! Ha ha!

This is the Scentsy I ordered!

                



I took some pictures of my kids the other day, we went to the park & I took my camera and thought I'd take some really cute shots of them! I did very  well, I'm proud of myself!

I will leave you with pictures of my lovelies!