The 3 Biggest Mistakes That Rob Us Of Our Happiness

The 3 Biggest Mistakes That Rob Us Of Our Happiness

How can you find happiness within yourself?

Everyone wants to be happy, we chase it, we hunger after it. And we’re always looking for the next quick fix, the magic wand, that we think will finally make us happy.  But it can be much simpler. Happiness is really an inside game, there are 3 common mistakes we make every day that rob us of our joy and satisfaction. Literally, when you make these mistakes you drain the happiness from your life and you’re left dull and stale.  

These are lessons for our life that translate perfectly to our business. When we are more satisfied and more fulfilled (literally filled up with contentment and purpose) we will be happier. And this satisfaction my friend puts us on the true path to business success!

Mistake #1 Waiting for the perfect time.

You can spend a long time waiting for the perfect moment or trying to perfect what you do before you even start.  When you keep putting it off, your life will just pass you by. Life is about growth through trial and error. Grab your courage and start now, and by now, I mean today.

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can

Once you begin you will gather energy and excitement. It won’t be perfect, it will be better than perfect. Because you will learn from your mistakes and use those lessons to improve. You will feel excited and proud of what you’re accomplishing and before you know it you will feel happier too. Happiness comes from the satisfaction of striving and growth.

To shift away from this habit, make this your new mantra: What’s most important is progress, not perfection.

Mistake #2 Comparing yourself to others.

Have you noticed? When you compare yourself to others you are never the one who comes out on top. You compare your outfit and your appearance with someone else. Or you compare your performance with someone else who has spent years practising the same skill.  You wouldn’t compare your finish time for your first 10k race with someone who is an experienced marathoner.

Don’t compare your beginning with someone else’s middle.

But really, we do it all the time. Don’t waste your energy. You will sabotage your happiness by continually reminding yourself that you’re not enough. Learn to appreciate yourself and accept that you always have room to improve.

To shift the habit of comparing use this mantra: I am enough exactly as I am right now, and I get better and better every day. I stay in my own lane and focus on my progress.

Mistake #3: Trying to please everyone.

Many people believe they need to make everyone around them happy. You practice people-pleasing by taking care of everyone else’s needs and saying “yes” whenever asked for a favour. You can be so focussed on keeping everyone else happy that you forget that your opinions, your needs and desires are important too! If you’re honest, you may find you have an unhealthy relationship with approval.  Your identity may be tied up in craving approval and wanting everyone to like you. Some of the nicest people in the world are always agreeable, even when they are deeply unhappy. To overcome this habit, start by learning that YOU matter. 

The only thing wrong with trying to please everyone is that there is always one person who will remain unhappy. You.

Second, understand that it is a habit and that you can learn to change by recognizing what’s important to you, learn how to say no even at the risk of others being inconvenienced. Yes, you will feel guilty at first, but by learning how to set healthy boundaries and how to take care of your own needs you will be rewarded with personal satisfaction and happier life.

To shift the habit of people-pleasing use this mantra: I always take a moment to pause and ask myself. What do I want? I remember that when I say yes to others I might be saying no to myself. So, I give myself permission to use the golden phrase. “Thank you for thinking of me. Let me check my schedule and get back to you.”

I’m curious which of these mistakes do you make? What would be possible for you if you replaced it with a new habit? I’d love to hear from you, post your comment below.