The goal of every human is to be happier. We just have a different set of criteria of what that requires.
We limit our own happiness. This can be good news because if you’re responsible for the limitations, you can remove them whenever you choose to! The choices you make each day can either increase or decrease your potential to experience happiness.
One thing is for sure, the wrong habits can make happiness far less likely to be part of your experience. Removing these counterproductive habits can definitely lead to greater levels of positive emotions.
Avoid these things that drive happiness from your life:
- A lack of goals. One of the most important components of happiness is making progress toward a goal. If you don’t have goals, you can’t make progress toward them, and that limits your happiness.
– At the very least have a goal for the day, the week, and something long-term. A little progress each day can really lift your spirits in a big way.
- Low standards. Low standards have positive and negative consequences. If you’re easily satisfied, you’re unlikely to be disappointed. However, you’re also unlikely to ever accomplish much. You’re also more likely to have low-quality relationships. Underachieving never feels good.
– Raise your standards, and your life will be happier. Part of the reason some people make millions of dollars a year is that the idea of making less is unacceptable to them. Those with a six-pack refuse to settle for less.
– What are your standards? Have you even thought about your standards?
- Trying to live as a lone wolf. It can be tempting to shut yourself off from the world and just do your own thing. However, few people are really built to be happy with that type of lifestyle.
– Most people who choose this path have experienced pain in their interactions with others. Being alone can be a relief, but it’s not a solution.
– If you’re a bit of a loner, that just means your relationships need to be very high in quality to be worthy of your time. Keep looking for high-quality friendships and avoid wasting your time on anything less.
– Many people do quite well with relatively little human contact. But, that’s not the same as no human contact. Everyone needs a friend or two. Not everyone needs 15 friends, though.
- Unreasonable timelines. You can accomplish just about anything if you give yourself enough time. Trying to accomplish too much, too quickly, will likely lead to disappointment. This isn’t an effective way to make yourself happy.
- Being a poor loser. Failing is perfectly fine, provided you learn something from it. However, if you’re not taking full advantage of your failings, you’re not going to be happy. If you’re going to fail, be great at getting the most from it!
- Poor diet and exercise. If you’re eating poorly, you don’t look or feel good. That’s not a recipe for happiness. If you’re not exercising enough, you don’t look or feel good. That’s still not a good recipe for happiness. If you’re not doing either, you’re in a tough spot.
– A healthy diet and regular exercise can add to your health, happiness, and general well-being.
There are many things you can do to feel happiness more consistently in your life. There are also many things you can do to decrease the likelihood of feeling happy. Before you do, say, or think anything, ask yourself, “How will this impact my happiness?”
Your thoughts, words, and actions have an impact. Consider that impact before following through on your decision. Your happiness is largely under your control.
