Isn’t life challenging and difficult enough already? Do you really need to add more stress and hardship by doing things to yourself that you don’t need to do? From time to time, we all do things that make the possibility of happy living more difficult than it needs to be. Why not give yourself a fresh start to life by avoiding things that bring you unneeded stress and pain? There are steps you can take to help make your life easier and happier, so why not take them? Here are 10 things to stop doing to yourself today.
Stop trying to buy happiness
You can own an expensive car, live in a mansion and holiday in exotic locations and still not be happy. The purchase of possessions will never fully satisfy our desire for happiness. For some, it may result in temporary joy, but happiness rarely lasts longer than a few days. The truth is that what brings us joy and happiness is free… love, laughter, compassion, passion, friendship, and kindness. These are the valuable pursuits that should be pursued. Redirect your desires toward these lasting objectives and you’ll find happiness there.
Stop lying to yourself.
Most of us lie to ourselves as a self-protection mechanism. We feel uncomfortable with something we are doing and feel the need to justify it. It’s a form of self-preservation, a natural avoidance of things that are difficult or take us out of our comfort zone. The most common reasons for lying to yourself are:
- Peace of mind – you feel more comfortable deceiving yourself than having to face the truth.
- Self-esteem – it makes you feel better about yourself.
- Culpability – you can avoid responsibility for your actions.
- Convenience – you can keep repeating past actions without having to change anything.
This self-deception robs us of the clarity we need to make progress and achieve personal growth in our lives. Our lives improve by taking chances, and the very first chance we must take is to always to be truthful with ourselves.
 Stop thinking you’re not ready.
It is extremely rare to feel 100% ready for a new challenge or experience. Nobody is ever ready to do anything. There is only now. Prepare yourself the best you can and take the first step. Now is as good a time as any.
Stop being ungrateful
No matter how bad your life appears, when you wake in the morning take a moment to be grateful for your life. Someone somewhere is fighting for theirs.
5/ Stop spending time with negative people
Spending time with negative people can have undesirable effects on our happiness, motivation, and wellbeing. Leaving you in a bad mood, feeling cynical and drained of energy. Basically, spending time with negative people can really suck the joy out of life. Surround yourself with positive people who will support you, uplift you and bring you happiness. Learn more in my article on 9 reasons to stay away from negative people.
Stop trying to make things perfect
Perfectionism can seep into every area of our lives. We live in a world where we are bombarded with images of perfection. Some of us are immune, but for most of us, the constant yearning for our life to be perfect leads us to create unrealistic expectations of ourselves. This can leave us feeling drained, exhausted, and ultimately defeated. Letting go of perfectionist behaviors is one of the most empowering things you can do.
Stop worrying so much
A quote I often refer to when finding myself worrying is: ‘Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles, it takes away today’s peace.’ Try not to stress over things that don’t matter or worry about things you can’t control. Worrying will never change the outcome. Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can do and living in the present moment.
Stop explaining yourself to others
There’ll always be people who disagree with your decisions or your actions. But most often you cannot change someone’s mind or beliefs by trying to force them to see it your way. And anyway, you don’t owe anyone a reason. You don’t have to explain yourself or your choices to anyone. You don’t have to justify your actions to anyone. Your choices are your yours alone and are no one else’s business. Let people think what they will. At the end of the day, if you did your best to treat people well and with kindness and compassion, then you’re doing ok.
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