Our new year’s resolutions all have one goal in common: to make us happy. Whether it is to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle, improve ourselves, or become better at managing our finances, we feel elated if we succeed in following them through.
But what people usually miss is that our attitudes and outlook in life play a huge role in our level of contentment, or lack of it. Hence, it makes sense to develop the attitudes that will give us a happier year especially since the year is still in its infancy. Read on to learn what these attitudes are:
1. Be kind to yourself.
You probably think you’re not good enough. You beat yourself up over mistakes and failures and think you’re the ultimate loser. Such unkind thoughts will only make you more miserable and diminish what self-esteem you have left.
Accept that no one is perfect. Mistakes are bound to happen. What’s important is to learn from them and move on.
2. Stop comparing yourself to others.
The pressure is on to be wealthier, better looking, have a bigger house and fancier cars and technology contributes to the spread of information about your peers’ social hierarchy. Studies have shown that social media use can lead to depression because you start comparing your friends’ lives to yours. But we all know that people tend to post their vacations, special occasions and accomplishments. Rarely do we post what’s happening in our daily lives.
Stop thinking of others’ lives as better and more fulfilling than yours. We all have our problems and insecurities. Posts on social media just don’t show them.
3. Cultivate a growth mindset.
Psychologist Carol Dweck, most known for her growth mindset idea, says that a growth mindset, as opposed to a fixed mindset, leads to more stable relationships and better chances for success because it accepts challenges and sees failure as a vehicle for improvement and motivation.
4. Give more, take less.
Happy people are generous with their time, affection and material possessions. They donate to charity, make time to teach others, and are more caring and loving in general. Whether their generosity stems from their being happy or vice versa, doesn’t matter. The bottom line is, they are happier than selfish people.
5. Allow yourself alone time.
Amid the frenzy of daily life, take about 20 minutes to have an alone time where you can meditate and relax your mind. Retreating from the busy world helps you keep your perspective on what’s important versus what’s trivial. When you can separate the essentials from the superficial, you become happier.
6. Don’t be bothered by what others think about you.
The people who know you will have an opinion about you, good or bad. They will pass judgment on your actions and your character. And for as long as you care about what they say, you will be distressed and troubled. Stop being bothered by how others see you. What matters is you live your life the way you see fit but without stepping on others’ toes or disturbing them. A clean conscience begets a peaceful mind. Listen to your inner voice and do what is right. Shut out the critics and detractors. In this way, you become happier.
7. Let go of the past; do not be anxious for the future.
Live in the present. Focus on the now and make the best of what you have. What is done belongs to the past. There is no use dwelling on it. They will only lead to depression. Anxiety for what the future may bring is counterproductive and crippling. Accept that the future has various possibilities and make plans, not expectations. Hone your coping skills to enable you to deal with uncertainties.
8. Be in the company of happy people.
Who you are constantly with has a significant influence on your own disposition. Choose happy people to be with. Their cheerfulness will rub off on you. Spend less time with the grumblers and faultfinders. These types of persons drain the energy and positivity in the environment.
These are just a few of the approaches you can take to be happier for the year just begun but embracing them will be a good start. Think positive. Think happy!
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