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10 Common Bad Habits That Will Drain Your Happiness

We’re now in an era where psychology is seemingly a huge part of our everyday lives. People have bought into the idea; the concept that changing your way of thinking can ultimately tinker with your happiness levels.

Habits That Will Drain Your Happiness

It means that the experts have devised all sorts of tips and tricks over the years that can just boost our lives, and make us feel a whole lot better about ourselves. As the title may have given away, we’re now going to have a look at some of the worst offending habits which can drain your happiness and ultimately not make your life as fulfilling as it should be.

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Procrastination

procrastination

It seems to be one of the biggest buzzwords over the past few years, yet there’s every reason to heave shame on procrastination. In simple words, those who procrastinate are just stagnating. It’s a period where you’re not making any meaningful progress and ultimately, nothing good is occurring.

One of the big problems about this habit is that there are all sorts of reasons why we procrastinate. At times it might just be because we don’t feel like doing something, while others it might be because we’re worried about the difficulty of a task.

Unfortunately, there’s no “on-off” switch when it comes to this habit. The best thing you can do is to consciously realize when you are procrastinating, and then attempt to stop and refocus yourself on your goals.

Being too nostalgic

Another modern-day classic comes in the form of being too nostalgic. Sure, everyone will have memories, but there certainly comes a time where living in the past is simply hindering your happiness.

Being stuck in the past is never going to allow you to live to your maximum. Humans have always had to adapt to their current environment – and you’re no different.

There might be a very good reason why you are living in the past and potentially harboring some form of resentment or anger. If this is the case, it goes without saying that you need to address the underlying problem. Whether this is by talking to a professional, or those around you who might be part of this negative-nostalgia, if you can guide yourself through these problems you can live in the present and make the most of your present situation.

Being too judgmental

The act of judging someone might seemingly not impact you, but in actual fact it does. It’s something which shows how you display your inner anger and suffice to say, this isn’t going to do anything for your happiness levels.

It’s worth remembering that everyone is equal and nobody is better than another. Everyone is one and if someone is experiencing joy, you should attempt to revel in it as well. On the flip side, if someone is struggling, it’s not going to have a positive impact on you.

Attempting to please everyone

The phrase “you can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, but never all of the people all of the time” is becoming more and more common. Unfortunately, it’s completely true.

We’re living in something of a “yes culture” these days. In other words, we try to please everyone as a much as possible. While this is admirable in some cases, attempting to do it all of the time will leave you completely drained.

If you’re finding that you’re carrying out tasks and your own happiness is suffering as a result, it stands to reason that you need to put a stop to it. Don’t feel as though you need approval from everyone – if you take too much on it will just leave you wanting. Learn to say no.

Competing with everyone

Sure, you need to take note of what others are doing – after all, this is what makes the world spin round. However, becoming besotted with someone else’s performance is taking things too far and will have a direct impact on your happiness. You don’t have to compete and compare yourself with others and in the most extreme cases, you will result in living another person’s dreams.

Therefore, the advice is simple. Be yourself. Don’t try and compete and compare – just focus on your own goals.

Being disorganized

One of the most commonly used phrases nowadays is that there aren’t enough hours in the day. Well, most of the time this is due to us alone. In other words, most humans are just generally disorganized and this has a direct impact on our time (and you guessed it, your happiness).

Unfortunately, this can be a difficult habit to train. Start small with something like tidying your desk and the knock-on effect will be obvious. In this example you’ll be able to find things in seconds and the amount of time you will benefit your life. There’s also the small matter of organizing your space being extremely satisfying.

We’ll also end this point on a small fact. It has been found, in an official study, that those people who make their beds are more productive, profitable and peaceful. What does that tell you?

Being a worrier

It’s another one of those annoying habits and unfortunately, it’s probably one of the hardest ones to control. We don’t need to go into the ins and outs of worrying; it’s something that won’t allow you to concentrate on the important things in your life and will generally leave you stagnating.

As you may expect, stopping worrying is easier said than done. When the big-W does hit you, one tip is to just ask yourself what you can do in the present time to make your life better? It’s small, but it can provide instant happiness and allow you to forget about the worry.

Thinking that you “must” be busy

Thinking that you must be busy

The general consensus amongst most people is that you simply must be busy, as this supposedly has a direct correlation with productivity. Well, as it turns out, both of these traits can be separate. In other words, you might be busy, but you might not be getting anywhere.

For example, you might be “busy” using some new technology like social media. Whether or not this is pushing you further is another question in its entirety though.

In this case, the advice is straightforward; stop being busy. Prioritize tasks and stop doing anything that isn’t providing you enjoyment or pushing you forwards. Stress isn’t going to benefit you at all and in most cases, this is exactly what busy people are full of.

You should also understand the 80/20 rule. Check out this youtube video.

Feeling shame

Again, this is one of the hardest traits to shake off. Shame is something that’s a truly dismal emotion; one that can cause anything ranging from humiliation to guilt, or even worse. Again, it’s something that nobody wants, but few of us do anything of note to get rid of it.

Well, the best way to rid yourself of shame is to acknowledge it. Attempt to forgive yourself, and try and forget about the feelings full stop. The more you can forgive yourself, even by talking to others, the easier it becomes to forget the dreaded feeling.

Feeling fearful

A lot of this guide speaks about moving forwards and ultimately improving our life. Well, another emotion that scuppers these plans is fear. It’s something that stops absolutely anyone in their tracks; whether it’s because you are scared of not succeeding, or scared of the unknown. The reasons can be aplenty.

This is one trait that you can easily control though. Most of the time, you’ll merely have to take yourself out of your comfort zone. Sure, you’ll have to face your fear, but the reward on the other side is most likely something that benefits your life and again, boosts those happiness juices.

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About George Allen

George Allen – Author – An AFPA Certified holistic and preventative nutrition professional. George is a well known exercise physiology and sports nutrition expert, the co-founder of MensAnswer.com.
Syracuse University graduate: bachelor’s degree in nutrition/dietetics (B.S.) and a master’s degree in nutrition science with a concentration in counseling (M.A.)
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