15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy

15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy

 



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When I first read the above blog title, I clicked on it figuring these would be quick fixes to clean up any unhappiness in my life, like giving up TV or electronics.

Um, no, these are much harder and soul searching types of removing the clutter. The first two hit me like a ton of bricks, as they are ones I ALWAYS struggle with: give up your need to always be right and give up your need for control. Grrr. As if!

 I won't give the whole list away, as I think it is a good post you should read and dissect on your own. You may not struggle with the same ones I do. The ones that don't affect me are 8-10 and 15.  These are no-brainers to me, however, I can see where others might find them difficult.

 Number 8, "Give up your need to impress others." Maybe this comes with age, but I could care less what others think of me. You either like me, or you don't. End of story.

Number 9, "Give up your resistance to change." My life has always been a whirlwind of change, and when I joined the military, the change kept coming.  And kids? They are the definition of change.  Time doesn't stop.  The change keeps coming, so I just go with the flow. This seems like an easier thing to do than freak out when things don't go my way.

Number 10, "Give up labels." Again, never meant much to me. People are people and we bleed the same. The differences in us is what I love learning about.  Call it what you want, but it doesn't need to have label.

Number 15, "Give up living your life to other people's expectations." Holy heck, if many more miserable people would just live for themselves and not need to please everyone, they would be so much more happier. I remember standing up to my grandmother and letting her know that I was living for me, not for her - she just about fainted. We only get one life (that I know of), so make the best of it.

This is only a list of 15, but a lot of these 'suggestions' are hard to combat when you are so used to living this way. I know because I always feel better after a good bitch session, though I'm a real downer during one.

 

I suppose the whole point of this post is to let go and truly be happy, not just pretend.  You can only play a part for so long.

 

As the Dalai Lama says, "Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions."