15 things you need to let go if you want to be happy đâď¸
Your mental health affects your overall health more than you may realise. When you are stressed out, angry, or sad, your body suffers too. This can come in the form of digestive issues, headaches, back pain, or any number of other physical symptoms.
It can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that our problems are entirely outside our control or caused by other people. Simply by changing our own actions and establishing new habits, many things may begin to improve. When you are happy and at peace, your body feels better and youâre able to respond to challenging situations in more effective ways.
Here are 15 personal and mental traps that you should let go of, which can help you to be more happy…
1. Let go your need to always be right
Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?
– Wayne Dyer
2. Let go of trying to always control
By letting it go, it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. When you try and try, the world is beyond winning.
– Lau Tzu
3. Let go of blaming others
A person can fail many times, but they arenât a failure until they begin to blame somebody else.
– John Burroughs
4. Let go of your self-defeating self-talk or ideas
The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.
– Eckhart Tolle
5. Let go of your limiting beliefs
A belief is not an idea held by the mind; it is an idea that holds the mind.
– Elly Roselle
6. Let go of your complaining
You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have roses.
– Ziggy
7. Let go of making criticism
Spend so much time improving yourself that you have not time left to criticise others.
– Christian Larsen
8. Let go of your need to impress others
Donât try to impress others. Let them have the fun of impressing you.
– James Fisher, Jr
9. Let go of resisting change
Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.
– Joseph Campbell
10. Let go of the labels
The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you donât know anything about.
– Wayne Dyer
11. Let go of your fears
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
– Franklin Roosevelt
12. Let go of your excuses
99% of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.
– George Washington Carver
13. Let go of the past
Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greatest achievements of the future.
– Christian Larsen
14. Let go of attachment
The wise individual doesnât get too attached to any of lifeâs pleasures, knowing that wonderful science is hard at work proving itâs bad for him.
– Bill Vaughan
15. Let go of living your life to other peopleâs expectations
The world is a mirror and reflects back your expectations. What you get is what you see. You create your own reality.
– Denis Waitley
Behaviours that can help boost your happiness
Below is a list of behavioural activities you can do within your control that may help offer greater happiness in your life.
Manage your stress levels
If you have a lot of stress in your life, find ways to reduce it. Introduce regular exercise and time to yourself. These are positive changes. Taking control of your time in this way can effectively reduce stress. If you have feelings of anxiety along with your stress, breathing techniques can help. Read more articles on how to combat stress levels.
Enjoy yourself
Doing things that you enjoy is good for your emotional wellbeing. Simple activities like watching sports with a friend, having a soak in the bath or meeting up with friends for coffee can all improve your day. Doing something you’re good at, such as cooking or dancing, is a good way to enjoy yourself and have a sense of achievement. Try to avoid things that seem enjoyable at the time but make you feel worse afterwards, such as drinking too much alcohol or eating junk food.
Boost your self-esteem
Self-esteem is the way you feel about yourself. The best way to improve your self-esteem is to treat yourself as you’d treat a valued friend, in a positive but honest way. Notice when you’re putting yourself down, such as thinking, “You’re so stupid for doing that”, and instead think, “Would I say that to my best friend?”. You probably wouldn’t. Instead you would saying something positive, instead of dwelling on what’s already been done.
Limit your alcohol intake
When times are hard, it’s tempting to drink alcohol because it “numbs” painful feelings. But it can exaggerate some feelings and make you feel angry or aggressive. It can also make you feel more depressed.
Choose a well-balanced diet
Making healthy choices about your diet can make you feel emotionally stronger. You’re doing something positive for yourself, which lifts your self-esteem. A good diet helps your brain and body work efficiently, too. Aim to have a balanced diet that includes all the main food groups.
Do some exercise
Even moderate exercise releases chemicals in your brain that lift your mood. It can help you sleep better, have more energy and keep your heart healthy. Choose an exercise that you enjoy. If it helps, do it with a friend or listen to music. Read more articles on exercising over 60.
Get enough sleep
Around 7 to 8 hours is the average amount of sleep an adult needs for their body and mind to fully rest. Writing a “to do” list for the next day before bed can organise your thoughts and clear your mind of any distractions. See more articles on improved sleeping.
Talk and share
Communication is important, whether it’s with a friend, family member or counsellor. Talking things through helps you to release tension, rather than keeping it inside. It helps strengthen your relationships and connect with people. Lots of people find talking to a counsellor about things that are troubling them very helpful.
Socialising with others
Socialising is good for your mind and body. Hanging out with family and friends not only can be fun, but research also shows it benefits your mental and physical health. Dr. Craig Sawchuk, a Mayo Clinic psychologist, agrees that socialising is key to good health. “Just being able to shoot the breeze, you know, about certain things can be a very, very positive type of thing,” Dr. Sawchuk says. Socialising not only staves off feelings of loneliness, but also it helps sharpen memory and cognitive skills, increases your sense of happiness and well-being, and may even help you live longer. In-person is best, but connecting via technology also works. Read more benefits of being social and search nearby social activities here.
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