"10 Habits You Must Quit to Be Happy"

So I ran across this article: "10 Habits You Must Quit to Be Happy" and while it is from April 2012, I think it still has value.

According the the article these are the 10 things you must quit:

1.  Quit procrastinating on your goals. 

I think this is so true.  If there's something you want to do, you need to just find a way to do it.  Wasting time putting it off, doesn't make it happen any faster.  I think it's a bit harder if you don't know what your goals are though.  It's hard to find direction if you're not sure what your destination is.

2.  Quit blaming others and making excuses.

I love this one.  It's so easy to blame others and make excuses when you're not happy.  I see it all the time with people.  The whole, I could be better off, only if this person and that person didn't do what they're doing blah blah blah.  Own your life.  It's yours.  You make the choices.  You live with the consequences.

3.  Quit trying to avoid change.

Change is inevitable.  I know many people who freak out over it.  Sure, change can be scary because there are a lot of unknowns, but at the same time, it's the only constant in life.  I've noticed this a lot with my mom and her job lately--they updated everything and didn't get any input from the nurses and now they're all unhappy because things aren't like they used to be.  Sometimes you just have to accept that things change, and it's not always a bad thing.

4.  Quit trying to control the uncontrollable.

This one seems obvious to me, but I know a lot of people who struggle with this.  Sometimes things are simply out of your hands.  Don't stress.  Just be.

5.  Quit talking down to yourself.

I try to talk myself up more than down, but we all have days when we feel sorry for ourselves for x, y, z.  

6.  Quit criticizing others.

This is probably the one I need to work on most.  I'm trying to be better about it, but it's hard.  I have friends that are making (what I think are) bad life decisions, and because we've already talked it over, I'm supposed to just let it go.  I have very high standards for my life these days, and I just wish other people would value themselves more.  Stop settling (this is that criticism).  I can't help but want more for people that I care about, but I need to stop criticizing and just be happy for them and the decisions they're making.

7.  Quit running from your problems and fears.

This is an interesting one.  Fear is irrational.  If you don't deal with it, you'll always be afraid of something.  Problems, however are very real.  They need to be dealt with directly or they'll blow way out of proportion.

8.  Quit living in another time and place.

I feel like my library system needs to take #8 to heart.  They're antiquated and whenever you make suggestions for how to update, they freak.  They like to think that this is the good old days of libraries and unfortunately, it's hurting us.  We need to update.  Stop taking us for granted like they did in the "good old days".

9.  Quit trying to be someone you’re not.

Well duh.  This would require too much energy from me.  I think it's important to be real, no matter what they might be for you.  Quite trying to impress other people with how great your kids are or how nice your car is or how big your house is.  Just be you.  Don't act like you enjoy things just to get others to like you.  Find what you enjoy, and own it.

10.  Quit being ungrateful.

It is super important to be grateful for what you have if you're going to be happy.  It's not all about material things peeps.  Be grateful that you're breathing, that you can see the beauty in this world, that you can hear such wonderful things like a baby's laugh...not everyone is as fortunate!  Be mindful and realize how luck you are!