Just Stop It

As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm not really big on New Year's resolutions. I see them as nice things to say and wonderful goals to set that will most likely be broken before reaching the end of March. However, I am still a huge advocate of the constant struggle to improve one's thinking, living, and loving. Having said that, I've compiled a list of things to STOP doing instead of the typical list of things to start doing at the onset of a new year. And, hey, why wait until January 1st? Post haste and get crackin' NOW. You'll thank me later. : )

• Stop ending all your sentences with, "Let's Go!" It's annoying, and frankly, anything that mimics Sean Combs is suspect for stupidity.
• Stop wearing leggings as pants. NO.
• Stop making sweeping generalizations about people, places, and things.
• Stop talking about what black folks don't do i.e. read, write, ski, swim, have ill-behaved children. Yes we do. Now get over it.
• Stop using Bossip and Media Takeout as your real news sources. A little CNN, HLN, Huffingtonpost, Daily Beast, or even local news never hurt (sometimes FOX News hurts, but that's a story for another day).
• Stop idolizing pimps and drug dealers as if they are upstanding pillars of society while ignoring the positive efforts of people who dedicate their lives to helping and improving the state of others such as educators, community volunteers, ministers, etc.
• Stop avoiding books that are about things other than pimps, hoes, hustlin', and screwin'. Broaden your scope of knowledge.
• Stop avoiding the use of a DICTIONARY when writing or typing anything meant for someone else to read.
• Stop disparaging those who choose to do and live better. Try jumping on that bandwagon yourself.
• Stop idolizing humans. We all blow it. Admiration Good. Obsession bad.
• Stop embarrassing those around you by behaving as if you have no class. If, in fact, you do not have any, shut your mouth and go sit down until it's over.
• Stop making excuses to avoid exercising. The is the only body you will have.
• Stop living your life according to the actions and opinions of celebrities. You don't even begin to fit in that category so don't even try to pretend.
• Stop telling yourself and others what can't be accomplished. Instead, focus on what CAN.
• STOP adding extra letters at the end of words. For example, nobody has EVER been "light-skinnedDED". EVER.

I firmly believe that the list contains goals to which we can all aspire if we are guilty of any of the infractions. I already know that this list will grow over the course of the next twelve months because we all have habits we need to quit. Let's try to start off the new year by simply stopping.