If you feel filled to the top with responsibility and obligations, you may feel more stress than joy. There will always be things that we have to do – whether we like them or not – but there is much in your life that you can control.
There are things that we do even though we don’t feel better afterwards. We simply have these habits that determine our day – no matter how good or bad they are for us. If you feel that the time ahead can just get easier and happier, then look through the list and pick the things that appeal to you and then have fun. The more conscious we live and choose, the happier we will be. Here I will show you 10 things that you can give up for a happy life.
1. Negative though
Negative thoughts come automatically. If something doesn’t go according to plan, it is quite normal that we worry. But if you get lost day-in, day-out in all the what-ifs in your life and your thoughts are all about negative things, then you should find a way to get out of that thought carousel.
You could try to deal with something else instead. This “substitute activity” should be complex enough to require your full concentration and distract you from negative thinking, so try to tackle a creative project or go on a mental shopping spree instead.
By the way, paragliding is a great way to clear your head. During the flight, there is no time to think about anything else but flying. After landing at the latest, all worries are forgotten and a smile spreads on your face.
2. Consume instead of doing
People who are happy are more active. That means they spend more time doing things they do themselves – instead of just consuming things. Before you say goodbye completely to social media, let’s get one thing straight. You don’t have to ban all social media channels. Just try to limit yourself to one or at most two social media platforms and ignore the others for a week. You probably won’t miss them! You could also limit your time on social media to one or two limited-time units per day instead of checking them every time you get bored.
When you take your smartphone off, you have more time for human interaction, reading, yoga – whatever! It can be a hard habit to break, but most people feel much more in control of their lives when they observe some reasonable screen time limits. So, put down the mobile phone, turn off the TV and go outside. Whether it’s dark or light, raining or sunny. We feel real life more when we are outside. Outdoors is best, but a little walk around your block works wonders too.
3. Compare yourself with others
We often make our value dependent on the comparison with others. Are we better? Faster? More charming? Prettier? Smarter? Healthier-living? The compulsion to compare ourselves is in our nature, but we can break through this automatism. So, next time you’re considering who’s better – see yourself in the other. Remember the moments when you were like this. This activates your empathy and puts your ego in check. So whether someone is supposed to be better or worse. You know both. Take a breath. Your value doesn’t depend on how you compare to others.
How do you want to live happily if you are constantly looking at what others have or how others live? There will always be someone who is taller, more beautiful, slimmer, more successful, better known or richer than you. Look at your strengths and what you have already achieved. That is all that matters.
4. A day without exercise
Hanging out on the couch after a long day can be fabulous. But it’s not what your body needs. Your body needs exercise to cut down on the stress hormones of the day. Your muscles need stimulation to counter all the one-sided stresses of the day. Beneficial exercise releases happiness hormones, we get a better body feeling and are more self-confident. Go out, move, do yoga or go jogging.
5. Speak badly about other people
Do I have to write something about this? It is so clear: Whenever we talk badly about someone else, we cut our own flesh. It doesn’t feel good, nor does it provide good energy or more trust among each other. It just sucks. I know it’s a habit that a lot of people have. I had it too, and every now and then I fall into the pattern. However, I immediately notice how my energy is dampened by the crap and I feel worse. If you don’t like something – then think about what it has to do with you. Take a breath, don’t blaspheme. We are here to make the world a brighter place and not to point fingers at other people’s weaknesses.
6. Watch/ hear/ read bad things
Many psychological studies prove that our environment and the words and images we consume have a direct influence on our thoughts, evaluations, behavior, and feelings. It goes so far that we talk differently or are ruder if we have been influenced in this direction. When we stop watching and reading bad things, we pay close attention to ensuring good vibrations in our environment.
7. Burden with guilt
We all make mistakes. We cannot always foresee all the consequences and sometimes we get carried away. We do things, we regret later and then we feel guilty. We think we’re bad people.
Just because we did something bad doesn’t make us bad people. Our psychology is quite complex and we’re not machines. In other words, we have a lot of motivations for doing things. But the fact that we have a corrupt character is never the reason.
And of course, we don’t want it to happen again. But we don’t have to feel guilty and bad forever. It is enough if we look at our mistakes, think about what led to it and how we can do it differently in the future.
8. Excuses
You want to train, but you don’t have time? Then get up a little earlier and hit the gym. Don’t make excuses. Excuses are just rationalizations that make you feel better (in the short term) because you haven’t done something you want/need to do. Do you wish for results? Then stop grumbling and start.
9. Stubbornness
I know it’s hard to admit, but sometimes you’re just wrong. Believe it or not, other people are sometimes right too. So stop being stubborn and just accept some things. The less stubborn you are, the more open you are to learning new things.
10. To make your happiness dependent on others
At the end of the day, you are the only person you can rely on by 200%. Don’t make the far-reaching mistake that many people make and put your happiness in the hands of others. Even a relationship will not fill the emptiness in you if you cannot even make yourself happy. You must achieve happiness on your own before you can find someone else to share it with.
So now you know what you could give up to go through life a little happier and freer. Of course, giving up a habit is not so easy. If there were no drastic experiences, but rather a good intention, then it goes only in such a way: Steady on and learn to forgive the small runaways in the wrong directions. Think beforehand what will be most difficult for you and how you can remember your good intentions and then start. It takes about 40 – 100 days until you have established a new routine to some extent. So be patient and look forward to the moments when it works out.
I hope that these 10 tips have helped you to have a new perspective on life and happiness in general.
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