Little Habits That Steal Your Happiness
Happiness starts from within, so as long as you're holding onto toxic habits, you're holding yourself back from achieving true happiness. You might not even realize that you've picked up these little habits along the way, but that doesn't mean that it's too late to change them.
Waiting For That Perfect Moment
A moment is what you make of it, but it will never be perfect, because you are not perfect. Once you accept that, you'll be more willing to take risks in each moment to make it the best that it can be and to enjoy the little things that each moment brings.
Only Working To Pay Bills
We don't all have the luxury to work the job of our dreams, and we all have bills to pay. However, it's possible to find passion in even the most mundane jobs, whether it's making a client smile or aiming to surpass your own career goals within a company. And if you really do hate your job, you might want to find passion in looking for a new one.
Resisting Change
The only constant in life is change. The sooner you stop resisting it and start embracing it, the sooner you can adapt and even mold it to fit the shape of your desired path. Look at every change as an opportunity to create and start fresh.
Taking Everything Personally
There is no way to read minds and predict exactly why someone did or said something to you.
You have no idea what kind of day they were having or what led them to this point, and although that doesn't justify any hurtful words or actions, you should take any opinion other than your own with a grain of salt. Who cares what everyone else thinks?
Focusing On What You Don't Have
You can either live in want or you can live in gratitude. You can focus on how you wish you had a huge house with a pool on the beach, or you can feel lucky that you have a home you share with someone you love and a bed to keep you warm at night.
That's not to say that you can't also work towards what you do want, but you should still be grateful for what you have.
Comparing To Others' Achievements
As cliché as it sounds, it's the journey that counts, not the destination. Even if someone arrives there first, it doesn't mean you're not capable of it too. We acquire the tools we need to reach our goals either by luck or through hard work, but we each move at our own pace.
Letting In Outside Voices
Not everyone's voice matters, because not everyone has your best interests at heart. You don't even need to always listen to those you trust, either, because no one knows what's best for you better than yourself.
Instead, rely on your intuition and on your experiences, even if you make a few mistakes along the way.
Holding On to Regrets
Regrets are there to learn from, not to hold you back. If you focus on them, you get stuck. Analyze your regrets to figure out how to avoid repeating your mistakes, then use them as motivation to work towards turning them around.
Caving Into Your Worries
Glen turner once said, "Worrying is like a rocking chair; it gives you something to do but never gets you nowhere." Basically, worrying is natural, but caving to it is a waste of precious time.
You can either sit there and think of every possible worst-case scenario, or you can go out there and take the steps to prevent them.
Repressing All Your Feelings
You're entitled to your feelings. We tend to think that being emotional is a weakness, when it's actually a sign of strength. Letting yourself feel is the only way to get past the feeling, to get one step closer to figuring who you are and what you want.
You'll never fully be in tune with yourself, love yourself, and forgive yourself until you let yourself feel.
Putting Things Off
Taking that first step will never get easier and will never be less scary. However, the second you take it, you're automatically one step closer. It's like going on a diet; you can always say "I'll start tomorrow" and enjoy one more slice of pizza, or you can start right now and celebrate the results that much sooner.
Chasing Fleeting Contentment
It's important to enjoy the little things, but it's easy to get so lost in chasing little pleasures that you lose sight of the big picture. To achieve bigger goals, sometimes you need to make sacrifices along the way. The key is to find a balance.
Taking On Others' Baggage
This is one is especially hard for those who are nurturing and empathetic by nature. It's easy to get so caught up in someone's bad vibes that it completely ruins your own vibes. Make sure the people you surround yourself with mimic your high energy.
While you should support them when they go through difficult times, make sure to still keep a separation between their experience and yours.
Being Too Hard On Yourself
We tend to be our own worst critics when we should be our biggest cheerleaders. Make sure that the expectations you set for yourself don't burn you out. Even when you fail, remember that you can try again and that life usually has a funny way of working out anyway.
Being Limited By Fear
How can you advance if you never take any risks? Remember that you're not born with fear, and the same way that you developed it, you can get rid of it. Every time you prove to yourself you can do something you're afraid of, you'll reach a new level of freedom.
Getting Stuck In What's Comfortable
Routine is a great way to structure your everyday life and keep a healthy lifestyle. However, it's very easy to feel stuck in a routine that doesn't actually serve you. Instead, you go through the motions mindlessly, dreading each task and counting down till the day is over to start it all over again.
Find ways to spice up your life, even it's as simple as taking a new class or going on a road trip.
Expecting Immediate Gratification
Not everything you work for pays off right away, and that's okay. Celebrate every little win until you get to the big ones. Not only will that make you appreciate the big ones more, but it'll keep you motivated along the way.
Setting Unrealistic Standards
This is the easiest way to feel so frustrated that you give up before ever really getting started. Start small and work your way up, and don't get ambition confused with unrealistic expectations for yourself or the people around you.
Clinging To People Who Hold You Back
Once you love someone, it's really hard to let them go. However, make sure that you keep boundaries, and once someone crosses them enough times, let them go. Instead, only keep people who encourage you and treat you well close to you.
Getting Caught Up In Appearances
While you should take care of yourself, it's high time that you stop holding your appearance to other people's standards.
Just like you don't choose food based on color instead of taste, people shouldn't be judged on anything but the characteristics that make them who they are. That applies to how you see others as well as how you present yourself.
