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Jovan Abernathy is an international marathoner and owner of Houston Tourism Gym. To claim your free tour, contact her at info@tourismgymhtx.com. Follow her on Twitter @jovanabernathy. Instagram @TourismGymHtx. Facebook @TourismGymHtx
With the new year coming up, many people want to turn over a new leaf and make atonement for the mistakes and habits of the year before. I'm not into New Year's Resolutions because I always have something going on. Self improvement should be an ongoing thing. So, instead of a list of what I am going to start to do, here is a list of the things I'm going to stop doing.
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STOP overthinking and over analyzing.
This is also known as paralysis by analysis. It comes from examining an issue so much that no decision or solution gets made. While taking some time to think things through and not being impulsive is commendable, the opposite causes lots of damage. And lots of anxiety, insecurity, depression, and a whole host of other problems. If you stop to think about it, it is just another way to procrastinate. Don't think too long though.
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STOP winging it.
If you are like me, chances are you are a very creative person and thrive on that energy, but too much of a good thing is just that. Too much. It is good to be spontaneous, but there is a difference between spontaneity and just being unprepared and covering it up. If you STOP and think about it, it is selfish, inconsiderate, and irresponsible. We know that we are able-bodied and just as capable as anyone else.
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STOP obsessing about the same old thing.
Have you ever had a bad experience and the memories just will not go away? Maybe you tripped and fell in front of a crowd of people. Maybe you said the wrong thing during a speech. You may have showed up late to an interview or a special engagement that cost you. We all make mistakes. Some have changed the trajectory of our lives. It is not worth it to get stuck in a loop that literally goes nowhere. Please DO what it takes to forgive yourself and move on.
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STOP taking delight in pain.
What does that mean, Jovan? Taking delight in pain comes in a few forms. Gossiping or rejoicing over others misfortunes is one of the most common ways. Listening to music, watching movies, and any other media that makes you angry, sad, or is degrading is another way. Of course, all these things are entertaining, but done at an excess is harmful. Tool and NIN are awesome, but a bender of it can work on your mental health. Instead, go to the park, take some pictures, read a book, or bake something.
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STOP eating out soooo much.
This one is a hard one for me. I'm super busy all the time and have worked in restaurants for 20 years. Restaurants feel more like home than home. If I were to say that I am addicted to anything, it is going out to eat. However, I looked at my account and realized that I was being bled to death, $5, $6, $7 at a time. It is insulting. You may be experiencing the same thing. Also, they say that abs are made in the kitchen. That is a true statement. I look in the mirror and say "Why not me."
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STOP drinking sooo much.
If you are like me, you have a love hate relationship with alcohol. I love craft cocktails, craft beer, and fine wine. It is costly on our health, our pocketbook, our productivity, our fitness, and our time. I like to take the Fred approach to drinking alcohol: I take time off to reclaim control and get my bearings. It is the most realistic I can be.
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STOP prejudging. Period.
Why didn't I say: stop judging others. True, we do judge others, but we judge ourselves even more. This is where we rob ourselves of a lot of amazing opportunities. I wonder if we are judging others to mask the fact that we are actually judging ourselves. We do this to avoid pain and disappointments. In doing this, we rob ourselves of new relationships, new opportunities, and new business experiences. In 2020, I will challenge myself to wait for more information before I judge.
I could go on. I'm just getting warmed up with all the things that I am going to STOP doing in 2020. The point is: it is time to STOP and think about how we think as individuals. I mean to say..that there is a way that YOU and I actually think as individuals. When I think about the person that I want to be, I seriously think about the things that I will think about and talk about as that individual. That is where change is happens. There, it is no longer about looks or status, but long lasting and testable. See you in 2020.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.