Settling is about not embracing what is best for you, and accepting what you really don't want. When you settle, you accept less than you deserve. Settling becomes a habit and a way of life, but it doesn't have to be. According to Maureen Dowd, "The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for!

People settle every day in every way. They settle for unsatisfying jobs, boring lives, and stale relationships. People settle in part because they don't realize they can have better, or even that they deserve better. People also settle because of fear. Fear holds us back from embracing what we really want. According to Bo Bennett, "Every day, people settle for less than they deserve. They are only partially living, or at best living a partial life. Every human being has the potential for greatness.

The only way to truly embrace your greatness is to stop settling. You have to stop settling for a job that isn't challenging, a life that isn't fulfilling, and relationships that are uninspiring. Life is way too short to settle.

How do you break the cycle of settling? Start small, start slow and start now! Begin with the small decisions you make and work your way up. Settling has become a habit and a way of life; so don't expect to change the habit immediately. Begin by having only the objects in your life that you love. Don't buy things just because they are on sale. Purchase only items that you love for your home and for yourself. I changed washing detergents because I thought I found a better deal, but when my clothes became dingy, I knew I had settled for a cheaper brand, not a better deal. I immediately switched back to my favorite. Those are the kinds of things you want to begin with. Notice where you settle for less, and where your life is looking dingy.