12 Habits Of People Who Are Unhappy (And Ways To Avoid Cultivating Them)

by apost team

You never know what life has in store for you. For many people, when unexpected problems and catastrophic life events come their way, they still seem to have a positive outlook. To others, this might seem impossible. It comes down to the fact that happiness is a choice. The feeling of happiness comes from within, and it is important to recognize that you could be sabotaging yourself. Be sure to avoid these 12 habits that are common in people who lack happiness.

The occasional piece of criticism may be helpful. When criticism is frequent, it negates your self-worth or the worth of others. The way that your internal dialogue runs has a big impact on your self-image. Accept when you make a mistake. Move on from it. Respect the rights of others to not be hassled with your opinion. Avoid giving someone else advice or criticism unless you are invited to do so.

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Spending time regretting a past decision is useless and harmful. When you allow repetitive negative thoughts to overtake your consciousness, you are likely to experience stress and depression. When you experience feelings of regret, learn from the mistake. Move on from it. Let it go. Look at the situation from a different perspective as a life lesson instead of a bad thing about yourself.

Most things are good for you in moderation. One beer or one slice of cake is enjoyable. When they take over your life, this is a problem. Addiction to alcohol, drugs, gambling or shopping could derail your life. Find a passion and live a balanced life.

While you can control your decisions and your reactions to the decisions of others, you cannot control everything that happens to you. Worrying about the future removes you from the present moment. Live fully in each minute. Exercise your natural talents. Empower yourself. Living in the present allows you to face problems as they develop. Allow yourself to experience the joys in life. Be present and let yourself feel emotions. Let go of the negative ones as they occur.

Engaging in negative talk about others makes you look insecure. This behavior might lead you to assume that others are also gossiping about you. A confident and happy person does not spend their time doing an activity that benefits nobody. Spend your time doing something that will improve your life and another person's.

Candy, cookies and junk food taste great. However, the immediate gratification that you get often leaves you feeling hungry, guilty and down about your choices. Poor nutrition causes weight gain, mood changes, low energy, insufficient productivity and overall poor health. Eat a healthy diet and feel good about your choices. Enjoy a treat once in a while.

As soon as something makes you unhappy or annoyed, it's easy to blow the situation out of proportion. This is caused by the amygdala in your brain. It's the centre of negative emotions. Scientists call it your "lizard brain." Take a step back and see the forest instead of just one tree. Focus on a solution and put your plan into action.

Holding a grudge takes a lot of your emotional energy. It's a big weight on your shoulders. Even when someone else's behavior angers you, it's not worth your time to hold onto those feelings. This is about your happiness. Forgive the person, forget the action or ignore the situation entirely and move on with what you need to do.

Daily obligations take up a lot of your time. Maybe you're too busy with work, house maintenance or children to take some time for yourself and move toward achieving a life dream. However, not putting your talents and passions toward a dream means that you are wasting an opportunity before you have the chance to realize it. Taking the first step is often the most difficult. Once you do, you will see the possibilities of what you can achieve.

Fear of the unknown or the unavoidable makes it difficult to enjoy your life. While fear in an acute situation is helpful, living a life on the basis of fear is not. The fear you experience when chased by an angry dog is natural. Worrying about what might happen next week and basing all of your decisions on that fear is not natural. You can overcome the autopilot of fear and avoid the stream of negative thoughts.

Successful and happy people do not spend their time complaining. People who complain on a chronic basis will do so even when everyone around them is in a good mood. Your circumstances are yours, and there is no reason to rain on everyone else's parade. Whether you like or dislike your lot in life, own it. Seek out a solution instead of complaining.

American society makes it feel like it is okay to "shop till you drop." Living beyond your means is a direct path to unhappiness. While the ads promise a better life if you buy that car or smartphone, the short-term emotional boost that you get from the purchase will not last long. Find your joy in experiences such as a good book, a walk outdoors or petting a friendly dog. After all, the best things in life are free.

Unhappiness can be caused by how you live your life. You can bring a change by making an effort to recognise these bad habits and avoiding them. A simple change in your habits could make a big difference in how you feel. What do you think about this? Do you have any of these habits? What do you do when you catch yourself engaging in one of these self-sabotaging behaviours? Tell us your thoughts and ask your friends to give it a read as well!