8 Common Habits of Unhappy People

They say happiness is a choice. It may sound a bit utopic but to a great extent, it is true. Let’s put the facts straight here first; no one can be happy all the time. It is just not possible. Life, after all, is a series of ups and downs. We laugh but also we grieve. At times we have a positive outlook on things but other times we see no light at the end of the tunnel. This is all normal, all human. The problem here is for people who in a way choose unhappiness unconsciously with a certain attitude and approach towards life. There are some habits, that even if the happiest person repeats on a daily basis, they are deemed to fall into a trap of sadness. These are the habits you need to watch out for.

1. Constant complaining. It is ok to want to vent when something goes wrong but the problem here is dwelling. Some people want to focus on the absolute worst of every situation, magnify it, dwell on it, and keep talking about it no matter how long has passed on that situation. The more you complain about something, the more it is likely to stay with you and bring your spirit down.

2. Striving for perfection. Make peace with the fact that humans are not perfect. Life is not perfect. So don’t force perfection where you can’t. Constantly seeking perfection will drain you and you will end up dissatisfied with everything in your life and accordingly, you will always be unhappy.

3. Holding grudges and resentment. The only person suffering the pain of a grudge is the one who holds it. When in a situation where someone hurt you, you have only two options: either you talk it out, or you forgive and let go. But living with a grudge will only cause you more pain.

4. Giving in to comparisons. One fast route will take you straight to unhappiness: comparisons. Don’t compare yourself or your life to that of others. Everyone has got their own journey, struggles, and blessings. Be content with what you have and just focus on yourself. The only person you are allowed to compare yourself to is your previous self.

5. Living in the past and worrying about the future. The only time you have control over is now. You can’t change the past and we have no idea what the future will bring us. Be present. Live the moment. Be mindful and pay attention to your thinking patterns.

6. Victimizing yourself. There is no learned lesson coming out from setting the blame on everything and everyone. Take responsibility of your mistakes, learn from them and move on. Sometimes we may be the victims, but you are no longer the victim if you keep falling for the same trap over and over. At this point, it is on you.

7. Caring about other people’s opinions. Opinions of others only have as much weight as you give them. If something feels right to you, do it. If something makes you happy, do it, even if it makes no sense no other. It is your life and you are the only one who should decide how to live it.

8. Sweeping problems under the carpet. You can’t always sit around doing nothing waiting for a miracle to happen to take care of things. A problem won’t get resolved on its own by ignoring it, in fact, you are risking making it bigger to the point where you have no control. Get it off your shoulder. Deal with it.