We often don’t think about the things we do on autopilot. These are our habits and routines. Unfortunately, many of our habits are limiting our success and happiness by keeping us stuck in our comfort zone.
It is possible to change your habits and allow more happiness and joy into your life. It does require a certain level of commitment. If you know what you want, establishing the right habits will create new possibilities for you.
Considering changing these habits, if you have them, so that you can enjoy greater happiness:
- Worrying about what other people think. Other people’s opinions do not matter. It is their ‘stuff,’ not yours. You will be loved by some, liked by others and disliked or even ‘hated’ by others. People will criticize you. It is not your job to make others happy or to impress them. Focus on making yourself happy. Concentrate your times and effort on those who are happy for you.
- Negative self-talk. Don’t do it. Don’t beat yourself up for doing it but there is no reason to make life more difficult. Change your self-talk into something you want to hear. Hopefully it is something positive.
- Focusing on what you don’t have. Not being satisfied and grateful for what you have is a good way to stay unhappy, stressed and frustrated. It is possible to dream of more, but you need a completing reason why you want it. It is okay to strive. But don’t do it at the cost of gratitude and appreciation for you do have.
- Constant comparison. You are a special and unique person. You have your strengths and weaknesses. Your life experiences have made you into who you are today. The only reasonable comparison you can make is to yourself. Compare your current situation to your situation 1, 5, or even 10 years ago. Have you changes, grown, gotten ‘better’ in whatever way you desire?
- Judging yourself for mistakes. Mistakes are a part of the human experience. Learn from them and work on not repeating them. Beating yourself up keeps you stuck in that moment in the past. It is not something you can change. You are not learning and you are definitely not happy. Let go of your judgement.
- Blame game. Do you believe you are in control of your life? If so, don’t believe that someone else is to blame. When you do, you are giving away your power. When you accept that your circumstances are of your own making then you have the ability and power to fix it. Accept your part in the situation and learn.
- Always saying yes. Learning to say no is a difficult thing for some people. But by agreeing to do more that you can handle you are using up all your energy for someone else. You need time to rest and recharge. When you say yes to everything, you end up ignoring what needs to be done for yourself. You can become overwhelmed and you may find yourself doing things that you don’t enjoy. Learn to say no when necessary.
- Overwhelming yourself with change. Trying to change too much at once will make you stop doing any of it and go back to the way things were before. Instead make gradual changes and them build on them. While you may not see huge changes in a week you can make major changes over time.
- Waiting for everything to be perfect. The perfect time will never arrive because nothing is ever perfect. Do what is important to you right now. Get into action – even if is imperfect.
Your habits create your life. Evaluate your habits and determine if any of them are preventing you from having more happiness and joy in your life. Decide how you want to experience your life and then make it happen.