Your natural state is to be happy, but if you add too much to it, you lose what’s already there.
The majority of the time, they stroll among us grinning from ear to ear. We all desire to inhale the alluring fragrance of these individuals because they resemble appealing blossoms.
Being around joyful people is far more enjoyable than being around miserable people because they are intoxicating, contagious, and contagious.
Experience, money, and education are all products of adding more to what we already have. These are just a few of the things that we value in life. Contrarily, the process of being joyful frequently involves taking away things that make us feel bad, bind us to the past, or force us to remain in toxic settings and relationships. But letting go is difficult. Even when they limit us and our ability to achieve and be happy, we are quick to cling to habits and routines that are familiar and comforting.
People who are content and those who are dissatisfied have radically different perspectives on the world. Let’s examine how happy individuals maintain their happiness and how sad ones don’t change.
Happy People Don’t Do This
1. They don’t live in the past
Because it has already happened, the past is what it is. Since it cannot be altered, there is no incentive to stay there. People that are joyful often accept their past and concentrate on the future. To get the most out of their existence, they actively look for various chances.
People who are content have learned the art of being present.
The current instant and all these moments are indeed our lives, as happy people are aware.
2. Don’t worry about the future
It’s normal to be curious about what will occur tomorrow, next month, or even in five seconds. The world is and always will be a chaotic, dynamic place. Nature and other people are outside our control. Furthermore, even our own thoughts and bodies are not entirely within our control.
We subconsciously believe that if we give it enough thought, the future will in fact unfold as we anticipate. That happens naturally infrequently.
People who are content view life’s inherent unpredictability as an opportunity rather than a threat.
They believe that every day presents a fresh opportunity for something positive to occur—something they could never have predicted. Your explanation-oriented personality is one of optimism’s major facilitators, according to psychologists.
3. They don’t fear change
Human nature tends to make us want to enclose ourselves in the familiar because change may be terrifying. But if there is one thing that is certain in life, it is that change will always occur.
Avoiding change hinders development and leads to a futile effort to maintain the status quo, which is unachievable. Accept change and live, learn, and grow from it.
4. Don’t complain all the time
You attract into your life what you think about. When you constantly gripe, you express your unfavorable perceptions, which:
- Gets you used to and comfortable with complaining, so you do more of it.
- Helps the synapses and neurons in your brain that are connected to negativity and complaining to become stronger.
People who are content rarely complain. Even though there are always things they might complain about, they choose to think positively since they are aware that moaning does no good.
5. Don’t seek revenge
There is no justification for intentionally seeking someone’s retribution. Just carry on living your life as you normally would and leave it up to karma. Happy individuals strive to make peace with the situation rather than concentrate on getting retribution.
Giving up and accepting it are the only ways to put an end to retaliation. Change your negative thoughts to the opposite. The only option is to rise above it and accept it as it is.
6. They don’t waste time doing things they dislike
While there will always be tasks we dislike (such as washing the laundry or paying taxes), cheerful individuals don’t spend time on things they don’t have to do or find enjoyable.
People who are content with their lives don’t waste time watching TV shows they don’t enjoy, going to nervously provoking events, or working in jobs that make them unhappy. One of the biggest secrets of happy individuals is that they are aware of their dislikes and don’t waste time on them because of obligation, fear, or inertia.
7. Don’t buy stuff to make them happy
Materialistic commodities are not necessary for individuals to be happy. They don’t need to engage in “retail therapy” in order to feel better. People who are content know better in a culture that encourages them to spend money to feel good. Yes, they indulge themselves, but they do it for the right reasons.
8. They don’t dwell on regrets
Unfortunately, we frequently pause much too long and pass the threshold of practical insight. By overanalyzing our mistakes, we believe we are helping the world and ourselves, but in reality, we are obstructing progress.
A regret is a negative event that we bring into the present by going back to it in the past and picking it up.
Happy individuals go on without being overwhelmed or letting their failures define them by taking life one day, one mistake, and one progress at a time.
They are aware of how little they actually know, how little of the world’s information they will ever truly understand, and how much more there is to learn. They don’t allow any of it stop them from moving on though, just like kids.
9. Happy people don’t give up
“Sometimes life knocks you on your ass… get up, get up, get up!!! Happiness is not the absence of problems, it’s the ability to deal with them.”
– Steve Maraboli
Everyone has self-doubts, but optimistic individuals push through them and continue on. They calmly and quietly keep trying, placing no responsibility for their accomplishments or failures on anybody else. Decide something you love, then pursue it.
However, happy people do give up their desire to always be right, their limiting beliefs, their unwillingness to change, and their excuses. They do not give up on their aspirations and objectives.
10. They don’t feel sorry for themselves
Complaining and feeling sorry for yourself are essentially identical in that they both serve to numb you to the emotion. Therefore, it is possible that you will feel sorry for yourself even more in the future, leading to a vicious cycle in which you feel sorry for yourself more since it is comfortable and feels good.
If you want to be really joyful and burden-free, try to push yourself to stop feeling sorry for yourself.
11. Don’t seek validation from others
People who are content with themselves do not seek external validation. They understand their worth on their own and don’t meet anyone’s standards. They take actions for themselves that they think will help them succeed in life. They can concentrate on their own development if they don’t worry about what other people think.
12. They don’t strive for perfection
The enemy of happiness is perfectionism, and happy people are fully aware of this. They aim high with their objectives and work hard to achieve them, but they aren’t preoccupied with living “perfect” lives or being the “ideal” partner, employee, or parent.
They don’t attempt to contrast their actual life with the “highlight reel” pictures posted on Facebook and Instagram. Sometimes being adequate is sufficient.
13. They don’t focus on what they can’t control
Your mind and body are experiencing anxiety as a result of trying to manage everything. Happy individuals have mastered the art of letting go, and their inner calm and spaciousness are contagious.
Can you alter the circumstances? If so, then take the necessary actions to bring about a change for the better. Take the necessary actions to alter the factors you have control over if you are unable to affect the overall circumstance.
People that are content always concentrate on what they can change, remain upbeat, and continue to make progress.
14. They don’t allow negativity
Individuals that are joyful don’t let negative people or situations enrage or irritate them. We’re not suggesting that these feelings aren’t normal parts of being human, but spending all your time with negative individuals will exhaust you and leave you in situations you’d rather not be in.
People who are content make the effort to spend time with others who make them happy.
15. Don’t value material possessions over experiences
According to scientific studies, those who use their money to purchase experiences like travel, athletic events, and theatrical excursions feel happier for longer than those who spend it on material possessions.
The happy individuals appear to have realized this; they place a high importance on activities like socializing with loved ones, exploring new locations, and moving outside of their comfort zones.
The Takeaway
Avoid getting lost on a protracted journey to nowhere if you want to be happy. The treasure chest is always close by. You only need to clean it. Remove the dust, and your inherent joy will emerge.
- Stop worrying about the future.
- Stop regretting the past.
- Embrace changes.
- Stop complaining.
- Stop closing your mind.
When we return to our genuine selves, just like the bird on the tree, we could discover:
“I don’t sing because I’m happy; I’m happy because I’m singing.”
– William James