Often, we believe that we need to “add something” to our lives to be truly happy… more money, a better job, a spouse, a new car, a baby. The truth is, by taking things away, we create the space to find more happiness in the simple things. It is in simplicity that happiness finds its way into the cracks of ordinary moments that we tend to take for granted.
Here are three things you need to eliminate from your life in order to feel happier every day.
1. The need to please others
It is not possible to please everyone all the time. It is not even possible to please one person most of the time. The level that someone may or may not be pleased by someone or something is completely up to that individual. You have nothing to do with it… I’m sorry, it’s the truth. Therefore, doing things because we think it will please someone else is the wrong reason to do it. The only reason to do it is because YOU want to do it JUST FOR YOU! If you’re doing it to get a response, you can expect to be disappointed often, which won’t make you happy.
For you, you need to do things that make you happy and let go of how others feel about it. If it makes you happy, then the people in your life who truly love and care about you will support you. If they’re not, well, chances are you shouldn’t be spending any more time with them anyway. Doing something for others, whether it’s something for them or what they might think, will make you feel sad and disappointed all too often.
2. Inflexibility
Things happen… all the time. Technology breaks. Kids get in trouble. You have a flat tire. People cancel plans with you. The hours move. Restaurants run out of your favorite food. The only constant in life is change. If you are too structured and rigid in your way of living and your views, that is a guaranteed detractor from happiness. Let yourself go and let yourself flow. Being flexible gives you the opportunity to pivot and change direction, without negatively affecting your day. As you become more flexible and relaxed, you will begin to notice some more of the magic that appears in your life because of all the “coincidences” that come along. For example, if you weren’t stuck in traffic and running late for your appointment, which delayed your day a bit, you wouldn’t have run into that old friend you haven’t seen in years. Just trust… there are no accidents. Everything happens for a reason, even if you don’t know it at the time. Therefore, do your best to relax and be flexible.
3. Perfectionism
Nothing is ever really done, and there really is no such thing as perfection. What may seem like perfection to one person, looks like disaster to another. Once the house is perfectly clean, all it takes is for the kids to come home and a meal is cooked in the kitchen, and in a flash, no more perfection. Have you ever noticed that your “to do” list never gets done? You may be able to check off all items on a given day. But, of course, there are more “things to do” the next day. When you pause for a moment and realize this fact, you can stop and congratulate yourself on what you actually DID accomplish and spend less time beating yourself up for what’s not yet complete. It is in those moments of choosing to feel the achievement where your happiness is. Release the attachment to always be “doing, doing, doing.”
“Happiness is a choice, not a condition. Choose your happiness above all else. The rest will fall into place. Those who walk away from your life need to. Those who stay deserve it.”
These may seem simple, but it is in the simplicity of life where our joy lies. So drop it and be happy.
Declarations Declarations:
I LOVE IT!: I MAKE AN EFFORT TO PLEASE MYSELF AND THAT’S WHY I AM HAPPY.
THANK YOU!: I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR MY FLEXIBILITY AND EASY MENTALITY.
BRING IT ON!: I HAVE THE POWER TO FEEL MORE JOY AND HAPPINESS EVERY DAY!
