8 little habits that are making you unhappy
It’s said that our habits are what shape our levels of happiness. After all, they tend to be the things that we do every single day. By putting a positive spin on our habits, we can help boost our contentment levels across the board. Here are 8 everyday habits to try kicking to the curb now.
1. Focusing too much on other people – While it’s wonderful to celebrate the success of friends and colleagues, becoming too caught up in their story often means you neglect your own. Try and focus on your own goals and successes alongside celebrating the milestones of others.
2. Buying into the perfect moment myth – If you’re always waiting for the perfect moment then chances are good you’ll be waiting a long time! Remember that moments are what you make them and seizing the day always has its merits.
3. Leading an uninspired work life – When you think about the number of hours you clock up at work or on your daily tasks, it makes sense that doing something with your time that you enjoy or at least get some degree of satisfaction from would be important to your happiness levels. If you spend all your time wishing you were somewhere else or someone else it may be time to consider a change.
4. Harbouring hate – Anger, resentment and hatred take up a lot of space in our consciousness. We are wired in some ways to remember things that have caused our blood to boil but not the 1000s of other things that have caused us to smile. Try and let go of negative emotions as best as you can and focus on the thought that by harbouring hate, you’re actually making yourself miserable and not the subject of your frustrations.
5. Holding onto stress – Often when you reflect back over the things that have caused you the most worry or stress in your life, you find that half of them didn’t end up eventuating. It’s a wise lesson in reality. Disengage from your worries and you end up living more in the present, which is said to be one of the keys to contentment.
6. Dwelling on difficulties – We all have bad days. Having some perspective and realising that a bad day doesn’t mean a bad week/month/year/life is what is important.
7. Seeking contentment in all the wrong places – Seeking content in “things” will often give your happiness levels a spike but not have any real, long -term impact. An enduring state of contentment comes from investing time in what you love and what nourishes your soul at a deeper level. Try and make that kind of contentment the focus in your life.
8. Holding on to toxic friends – If there are people in your life who make you unhappy then the blunt reality is that you are better off without them. Many of us hold onto friendships well past their expiry date purely out of obligation or familiarity. The sooner you cut ties with the toxic, the happier you’ll be.
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