Genuinely happy people don’t just sit around being contented. They make things happen. They set and reach goals, and control their thoughts, feelings, and habits. If we want to experience love, peace, contentment, optimism, and joy, we have to give up our bad, limiting habits.
We are so used to doing certain things that we don’t notice or realize the damage these bad habits are sometimes causing to our health, to our relationships, and ultimately, to our own happiness. We just have to be mindful and acknowledge our limiting habits, and then work on breaking them. It takes time, practice, and self-control, but the reward is greater than the effort. When we stop doing the wrong things, we make more room for the things that really make us happy.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Will Durant
Below you will find a list of bad, limiting habits you should give up if you want to move forward and live a happy life:
- Postponing your happiness.
- Using your phone/computer in bed.
- Dwelling on the past.
- Taking for granted all the people that love and appreciate you.
- Feeling guilty. Give yourself a break.
- Drinking too much.
- Checking your phone during a conversation or during lunch/dinner.
- Saying yes to things that don’t support your goals.
- Being around toxic people.
- The need to control everything.
- Not making time for the people you love.
- Anger and grudges.
- Trying to be perfect.
- Multitasking – be fully present and committed to one task.
- Gossipping.
- Missing sunrises and sunsets.
- Ignoring your education.
- Trying to change the people around you.
- Wasting time.
- Procrastinating.
- Trying to be someone else.
- Being afraid to be vulnerable.
- Focussing on the negative.
- Comparing yourself to others.
- Living an unhealthy lifestyle.
- Making excuses for your weaknesses and failures, and blaming others.
- Being too hard on yourself.
- Staying at the job you hate.
- Your need to be liked by everyone.
- Trying to please everyone.
- Overthinking simple things.
- Avoiding change.
Don’t get in the way of your own happiness. Take small steps, be aware of your feelings and reactions, and then do something every day to change them. Focus on one bad habit each month and challenge yourself to get rid of it. Trust that the smartest way to experience joy and contentment is to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.
What habits would you like to give up? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!
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That is a great list Ana. I have to say that at one time I was guilty of several more of them that I am now. Age does some good things!
I totally agree with you, Julie. Believe it or not, research suggests that the older we get, the happier we are. I’m sure they are right! 🙂
Sleeping late – that’s a tough one for me!
“Don’t get in the way of your own happiness.” THIS! I find that I’m bad about feeding my own discontent in life. That definitely gets in the way of happiness.
This is a big list of bad habits. Can’t do them all at once and don’t do them all but always need to improve.
Not making time for people we love is huge! I think we often take people for granted, thinking they’ll always be there, and we miss out on amazing moments with them!
Actually, I am happiest when I spend time with people I love. So easy!
Me too!
This is such an awesome list – thank you for putting so much thought into it! My bad habit is waiting too long to answer texts, then forgetting to answer them altogether – I constantly feel guilty!
So funny! I’m glad you like my list! 🙂
Working on this!
Wow this is an amazing list! Very accurate also!!!
Truth bombs. Thank you!
The How-to Guru
Some great tips. I love ‘don’t get in the way of your own happiness’.
I am SO guilty of multitasking myself to death. I need to put an end to it pronto!
I am guilty of SO many of these! The ones that really stand out are staying at a job I hate, and trying to please everyone. I hope at least the job one can be over soon!
Leaving a job you hate is an important step, but I’m sure you are gonna be happier doing what you love. Good luck! 🙂
Awesome list! I’m a natural people pleaser and many of these fall in that category… I must give it up 🙂 Great reminders!
Thank you for reading and commenting. I’m glad you like it.
This is an eye opening post. Many people think that the way to be happy is to have the things they don’t have. When in fact, happiness is achievable if we become only aware of our habits. I really agree with your post. I am on my way to doing those things to finally free myself from negativities.
To be honest, sometimes I am guilty of thinking that I will be happier when I have this or that. But I am on my way too… 🙂
I am glad you listed “dwelling on your past” twice. I needed that. xxoo