Do you ever feel so anxious, you can’t fall asleep at night? Are there hundreds of stressful thoughts running through your mind? Do you find yourself constantly questioning, “Am I earning enough money? Am I healthy enough? Am I loved enough?” Our own self-doubts can sometimes be endless.

Unless you have a life coach or therapist close to hand to talk you through it, these ongoing negative thoughts can become suffocating. It’s time to shake off the negative weight and begin to live a life where weighty issues are a thing of the past. It’s time to slay those demons and practice more enlightenment in your life. Here are 8 examples of things you need to stop stressing out about:

1. You’re not earning as much money as your friends. This one can be tough because you’ll be invited out to some place you can’t really afford, but you don’t want to miss out – it’s a viscous cycle. You have to learn to not only say no sometimes, but also take the initiative to arrange plans that cost less money. Social media provides a long list of people who are achieving much more than you. But do they really have more than you do, or just more money? Remember that when you’re viewing the colourful and staged versions of everyone’s life. Remember: nobody shares the bad days. Be proud of what you have achieved for yourself. If you really do feel as if you’re underpaid then have a conversation with your boss and put forward your case of how much you deserve. Better yet, start your own side business. You’ll be surprised by how much can change simply from speaking up, doings some research, or becoming a little more self-motivated.

2. Your weight. Have you experienced that sink in your heart when your signature little black dress no longer fits, or your skinny jeans are uncomfortably tight around the middle? Every woman goes through this. Eventually as you grow older, you no longer have the super-power to eat whatever the hell you want and still manage to rock a crop top on a night out. Always exercise, as the benefits (mentally and physically) are endless – but don’t diet to extreme. Wearing a smile and walking with confidence will instantly make you attractive to other people – having protruding ribs and looking miserable because you can’t touch the buffet will not attract others.

3. Your closet isn’t full of designer clothes. The fact that you can’t afford the expensive brands you love won’t actually effect your OOTD. You’ll find that the outfits that earn the most compliments are the more creative outfits – even if it’s simply a creative statement piece of jewelry. It’s the creativity of putting together the whole look that’s appreciated more than just throwing on designer rags and expecting compliments to fly in because you splurged on the latest label. Pick the style that makes you happiest and then budget those shopping trips. If you find yourself becoming envious of your latest Instagram friend showing off a new Chanel purse – write a list of everything free in your life which you truly appreciate just to gain a better perspective on what money can and can’t buy.

4. What you look like without makeup on. Makeup is a devil with its tricks. You feel confident when you wear it, which leads to a dependency on the self-esteem boost it can give and you begin to believe this image is actually the real you. Here’s the truth: you don’t look as terrible without make-up on as you think you do. If the thought of walking down the street makeup-free horrifies you to the core then slowly appear in public with just a little less each time. If the makeup you wear on a daily basis is incredibly natural, before you know it you’ll feel confident when your face is completely natural. Some tips for achieving this all-natural confidence include tinting your eyelashes black so you don’t need mascara anymore, and taking proper care of your skin so that you don’t need foundation.

5. The number of sexual partners you’ve had. The grand total of how many people you have slept with is nobody else’s business. Long gone are the days where women would have to wait until a man approached her first. You don’t have to regret having a wild night in your younger years or feel ashamed that you are not able to remember the name of the guy you hooked up with a couple of years ago. It doesn’t matter and those who judge you are toxic haters that you need to dispose from your life immediately. If you had a good time then appreciate that you actually managed to live your life. Oh, and if you find that people are judgmental about it, there’s a great way to stop all that for good: keep your number to yourself.

6. Believing you might never meet ‘the one’. One of the scariest thoughts women have is that they’ll end up alone, never meet Mr. Right, never get married, never have kids, etc. It’s much healthier to remain positive that you will meet someone when the time is right. As long as you’re a kind and warm person who doesn’t purposely go out of their way to be vicious to people then you will never be alone. Show how beautiful you are on the inside and that chemistry will naturally attract people who always want to be around you.

7. If the one you want likes you back or not. If someone likes you, you’ll know. If your crush likes you back, there should be no games and no ambiguity. Whoever you have your eye on should be able to come right out and say it – they like you. Even if they do like you back, is it enough? The next step is to do yourself a huge favor and check that their intentions 100% match your own before you imagine them as more than just a friend. If they don’t, then don’t worry. Pick yourself up, move on and keep that chin up because being ridiculously happy will only show them what they’re missing.

8. Not owning your own home yet. Once you hit a certain age, you may feel a bit silly that you’re still paying rent. It’s good that you feel that way, because having a goal in mind that you want to purchase a home means that you’ll start being more careful and saving more, in order to reach that goal. The reason why you haven’t bought your own home yet is because the prices of property are increasing and employment decreasing. Your personal issues with not being able to buy yet are shared with millions of others who are in the same situation. Instead of feeling down, appreciate the liberties that come with not having a mortgage for now!

Photo courtesy: We Heart It