Feeling truly happy is not a transient state. It comes from a place of peace within and is best achieved by simply being true to yourself. Often, we do little things that we don’t even notice are affecting us negatively – like beating ourselves up for that extra cookie or spending our days doing activities that we don’t enjoy only because it’s what everyone else seems to be doing. PSA: Prioritizing your own happiness is NOT selfish, because in the end, making yourself happy means making your loved ones happy, too.
Forcing Yourself To Go Out
There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to stay home. Home is great! You don’t have to wear pants and no one will judge you for eating that sandwich that you dropped on the floor (unless you have a roommate, in which case, they might judge you). Everyone needs time to recharge their batteries, whether that means some quality Netflix time or just staying in bed to read. Trust me, you are not missing anything that won’t be happening again next Friday night.
Denying Yourself Simple Pleasures
Treat Yo Self! The world isn’t going to end because you ate a bag of potato chips. Do you know how soul-sucking it is to be constantly denying yourself little pleasures? Indulge yourself once in a while. Buy that cupcake! Binge watch that TV show! Sleep in until noon!
Needless Worrying
This one is difficult, because it is hard to control. Instead of completely stopping your needless worrying, find ways to cope with it. Be rational and logical. Think about any given situation and come up with the worst possible scenario. You’ll realize that the chances of it actually happening are slim.
Not Getting Enough Sleep
This is a simple one: GO TO BED! The lamest competition I have ever been in is “I only got five hours of sleep last night.” “Oh, well I only got four.” There is nothing to be proud of here. You are a human being. You need sleep to function.
Allowing Toxic People To Stay In Your Life
Toxic people can be one of the biggest drains on your happiness. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been friends for years, if someone is constantly treating you poorly or has a negative effect on your life, cut them out. As harsh as it sounds, it is completely necessary. Surround yourself with the people who lift you up and make you a better you.
Not Giving Yourself ‘Me Time’
‘Me Time’ – this is not just relaxing. This is time to truly take care of yourself. Giving yourself a manicure, making your favorite meal, just taking time to do little things for yourself.
Thinking Too Much About the Future
Take it day-by-day. Living in the present is so much more satisfying than constantly worrying about what’s coming next. It is healthy to plan things and look forward to them, but don’t let the future take away from the present. Be in the moment, as cliché and hippy-dippy as it sounds.
Fearing Change
I’ve always had a hard time with this one. I am very much a creature of habit, so any changes, whether they are sudden or have lurked in the wings for a while, throw me off. One of the healthiest things you can do for yourself is to embrace change, or at least try to go with the flow of it. Life is constantly changing, and those changes are often positive and can bring you beautiful new experiences, like moving to a new place, or even something as simple as going to a new restaurant.
Putting Too Much Weight On The Opinions of Others
I’m not saying that you should give the world the finger. I’m just saying that what matters most (and here comes another cliché) is what you think of yourself. Your mom has probably said this to you dozens of times, but hey, it’s true. If you’re happy with what you’ve got going on, no amount of negative comments should change that
Not Acknowledging How Far You Have Come
Acknowledge your accomplishments, no matter how small. You got out of bed today? That’s a win right there. Lets face it, life is hard. Sometimes you want to do nothing but curl up under the sheets and avoid it all. And sometimes that’s what you need. It’s totally okay not to be okay all the time. But anytime you come out from those sheets and go out your door, that’s an accomplishment. You have come so far, and I am so proud of you. Be proud of yourself, too.
Essentially, give yourself a break. Surround yourself with positivity and take care of yourself. You are doing great.
Featured Image via Unsplash.
