Are you having trouble staying motivated towards your goals? It could be that a bad habit is causing you to slide behind.
Though it can be challenging to break bad habits, you can! All that’s necessary is the awareness of them and replacing them with healthier options.
1. Comparing yourself to others
Though you may think that comparing yourself to others isn’t bad, it can actually have detrimental effects. Comparing yourself to others will destroy your self-worth, relationships and ultimately lead to dissatisfaction.
Comparing yourself to others on social media, in real life or elsewhere is never beneficial. It can lead to feelings of envy, jealousy and frustration; it also saps away motivation towards achieving your goals and dreams.
One of the most frequent comparisons people make is when they assess themselves against someone far more talented than themselves. You might compare yourself to a doctor, lawyer, or CEO because they have achieved these things at a higher level than you have.
This habit can be detrimental and destructive, as it prevents you from reaching your full potential or pursuing goals. Furthermore, it leaves you with a false sense of accomplishment which leads to feelings of frustration and failure.
Instead of comparing yourself to others, focus on your own progress and accomplishments. You don’t have to be as skilled or talented as other people – it’s perfectly acceptable for you to improve your abilities and reach a new level – but don’t compare yourself with them simply because they appear to have it all together.
Additionally, avoid comparing your accomplishments to those of others as this can have a detrimental effect on your relationship with them and leave you feeling resentful.
When assessing yourself, remember that everyone has unique strengths and weaknesses. This holds true across various fields such as science, art, business, sports and beyond.
If you want to be a great artist, don’t compare yourself to others who aren’t as accomplished at their craft. Comparing yourself will only lead to frustration and an unnecessary waste of time and energy.
When prepping for an important exam or project, don’t compare yourself to students ahead of you; doing so could demotivate you and cause you to believe that you’re not good enough which could ultimately lead to failure on the assignment or project.
2. Waiting for life to happen to you
Waiting for life to happen to you can be a very stressful experience. It may cause you to become overly impatient, which in turn may lead to depression or anxiety. If this describes your current situation, remember that happiness doesn’t depend on what will happen in the future; rather, focus on how you choose to live your life now.
Waiting can be a challenging endeavor, but it also offers you an opportunity to discover yourself and what truly desires in life. Additionally, waiting helps you become more patient as God’s timing often moves much more quickly than ours does.
One of the best ways to strengthen your patience while waiting is by praying and seeking God’s guidance on what should be done in a given situation. That way, when the time comes, you can rest assured that He’s got everything under control and will provide guidance throughout your wait.
Another advantage of waiting is that it can foster an attitude of gratitude you might not otherwise possess. This sentiment is especially true if your situation has been particularly trying or frustrating to endure.
Many people believe they can achieve whatever their heart desires quickly, but this is often not the case. Most of our dreams take time to materialize, so it’s better to be content with what we have and let go of our aspirations so we can focus on living life fully and serving God with all of our heart.
3. Spending too much
Many of us are guilty of bad habits that could be sapping our happiness. These behaviors may be irritating, drain our time or cause harm to someone else (e.g., talking about someone behind their back). But with some effort you can stop these bad behaviors in their tracks.
One of the most detrimental habits is overspending. Not only does this deplete you of income, but it also leads to debt and stress – two major enemies to happiness.
To save money and avoid overspending, create a budget and stick to it. By tracking your expenses, you’ll gain insight into what works for you and what doesn’t.
Take the budget idea a step further and create a savings plan for each month to stay on track. This can be an excellent way to save money and enhance your happiness at the same time.
Another habit that could be the key to your happiness is getting rid of clutter. This issue affects many people as it takes up too much room and distracts you from what needs doing.
If your house is always full of clutter, it could lead you to spend on unnecessary items that ultimately drain you financially.
There’s a vast difference between having material things and having good friends, family, and a sense of accomplishment. So before you make any purchases for material things such as clothes or gadgets, be sure to do it for the right reasons.
Finally, one of the most effective ways to boost your overall happiness is through improved self-talk. This could be as simple as saying a kind word to yourself every day or making a monthly habit of giving yourself an attentive compliment.
Success lies in making small adjustments to your daily routine that will help keep you on track and increase overall happiness. Breaking old habits may be challenging, but the rewards of a happier life are worth all the effort!
4. Complaining
Complaining is a habit that can have detrimental effects on our health and happiness. It increases the risk of various illnesses, such as heart disease and depression. Chronic complaints also shrink the hippocampus – an area in the brain crucial for problem solving and memory.
Complaining may be a natural reaction to stressful circumstances, but if you don’t take action to change it, complaining can become an unhealthy habit. It may lead to feelings of anger, resentment and hopelessness as well.
Expressing emotions repeatedly can trigger the body to release cortisol, a stress hormone which may damage your heart and blood vessels. It may also impact sleep quality, digestion issues and mental wellbeing.
If you’re a complainer, there are ways to break this cycle and start feeling better about life. Breaking bad habits is often simpler than one might think!
Once you identify your triggers, attempt to avoid them. For instance, if traffic is usually bad in your area, find another way to pass the time.
If you find that you and your spouse are often unhappy together, try talking to them about what needs to change for the relationship to work. This may take some effort on both of your parts, but the effort could prove worthwhile!
Many people who complain are unaware of their bad habits. They might have become so used to doing it that they don’t even realize how much it affects their lives and relationships.
Though a healthy dose of criticism can be helpful and necessary, excessive complaining has been shown to have detrimental effects on people’s happiness. Studies have even indicated that the more someone complains, the worse their quality of life becomes.
Therefore, it’s essential to limit your complaints. Only bring up issues that you know you can resolve.
Additionally, ensure your complaints are solution-focused and have a specific goal or purpose. If you’re unsure what that should be, consulting with a professional might be beneficial.