3 Moves You Need to Stop Making if You Want to Be Happy Today (and Every Day)

Turning your day around simply by changing your mindset sounds simple, but what habits do you need to break to succeed?

Some of the most harmful behaviors come naturally to us. You may not even know you’re doing them. Take a five-minute break to self-reflect and see if you can improve your life by making these three changes.

 

1. Stop Being Negative

One of my favorite TED Talks by social psychologist Amy Cuddy enlightens us on how body language influences the way that we feel. Her studies show that body posture and nonverbal communication affect the way that others perceive us and our body chemistry.

You can trick your mind into believing you’re happy and confident, and even convince others you’re the best candidate for the job. With the use of her “power poses” and quick posture tweaks, you’ll be a whole new you in no time.

Some people call me a pessimist, but I call myself a realist. Whatever it is that you call yourself, take a moment to self-reflect and make sure you’re not a Negative Nancy.

Have you ever heard the line “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar?” By creating an air of positivity around yourself, you not only feel better about yourself, but others enjoy you as well.

What happens when you’re happy? People respect you, they want to be your friend and work with you, and, more important, they themselves want to be a more positive person. Spread the good vibes out into the world and you will change your life, and someone else’s as well.

 

2. Stop Being a Martyr

This is the one I struggle with the most. As a business owner, I am accustomed to sacrificing personal time to get the job done. I’ll miss a meal or two because I am so hyper focused on the job at hand. This might help me to cross things off my to-do list, but is it actually hurting me mentally and physically?

Rescheduling a hair appointment or skipping a manicure happens regularly, because to me these things are not vital to running my business. Truthfully, though, I should pay more attention to these aspects because first impressions are everything. It would be terrible if a potential business associate or client were to judge me poorly because I didn’t come across as professional.

Not to mention, life is just better when you feel comfortable and confident in your own skin. Take time to self-reflect, pay attention to your health, and splurge on yourself every once in a while. You deserve it.

 

3. Stop Living for Other People’s Approval

The worst thing you can do in life is to live it to everyone else’s standards. You’ll never be satisfied, and I doubt that in the long run they are worth the energy. It’s time you take the bull by the horns and step out into the world with an “I don’t care about your unrealistic expectations” mood.

Take the advice of your mentors and fit it into your life as you see fit, but everything you do should have your own spin on it. The great thing about being alive is that you’re the only person exactly like you. Own that.

You must live with your decisions and consequences; why should someone else get to dictate how you do things? You only get to live once, so make sure it’s on your own terms.