If You Want A Happier Life, It's Time To Accept These 10 Essential Truths
Life is what you make it, after all.
Krakenimages.com | Shutterstock It's surprising how easy it is to lose sight of the important things in life. Busy schedules and weekly routines have a tendency to put our brain on autopilot, and we quickly forget to take a step back and have more appreciation for the little things.
Some of life's essential truths need repeating. So, keep this list handy whenever you need a boost.
Here are 10 essential truths it's time to accept if you want a happier life
1. Being busy does not equal being productive
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Look at everyone around you. They all seem so busy, running from meeting to meeting and firing off emails. But how many of them are really producing, really succeeding at a high level?
Success doesn't come from movement and activity; rather, it comes from focus, from ensuring that your time is used efficiently and productively.
You have the same number of hours in the day as everyone else, so it's best to use yours wisely. After all, you're the product of your output, not your effort. Remember that productivity doesn't come from being busy all the time; it comes from dedicating effort to tasks that get results.
2. Great success is often preceded by failure
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You will never experience true success until you learn to embrace failure. Though failure may seem like the end of it all, you must understand that your mistakes pave the way for you to succeed by revealing when you're on the wrong path.
The biggest breakthroughs typically come when you're feeling the most frustrated and stuck. It's this frustration that forces you to think differently, to look outside the box, and to see the solution that you've been missing.
Success takes patience and the ability to maintain a good attitude, even while suffering for what you believe in.
3. Fear is the #1 source of regret
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When all is said and done, you will lament the chances you didn't take far more than you will your failures. Don't be afraid to take risks! Because fear is, unfortunately, the one thing that holds you back from reaching for greatness.
People often say, "What's the worst thing that can happen to you? Will it kill you?" But death isn't the worst thing that can happen to you. Rather, the worst thing that can happen to you is allowing yourself to die inside while you're still alive.
In order to have a happier life, you need to stop fearing what may happen and embrace the unknown, realizing that it's in your best interest to at least try and fail, rather than never trying at all.
4. Your self-worth must come from within
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When your sense of satisfaction is derived from comparing yourself to others, you're no longer in control of your own destiny. When you feel good about something you've done, don't allow anyone's opinions or accomplishments to take that away from you.
While it's impossible to turn off your reactions to what others think of you, you don't have to compare yourself to others, and you can always take people's opinions with a grain of salt. That way, no matter what other people are thinking or doing, your self-worth comes from within.
Regardless of what people think of you at any particular moment, one thing is certain — you're never as good or bad as they say you are.
5. You're only as good as those you associate with
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You should strive to surround yourself with people who inspire you, people who make you want to be better. And you probably do. But what about the people who drag you down? Why do you allow them to be a part of your life?
To have a happier life, you need to realize that anyone who makes you feel worthless, anxious, or uninspired is wasting your time and, quite possibly, making you more like them. Life is too short to associate with people like this, so cut them loose and don't feel bad about it.
6. Life is short
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None of us are guaranteed a tomorrow. Yet, when someone passes away unexpectedly, it causes us to take stock of our own life: what's really important, how we spend our time, and how we treat other people.
Loss is a raw, visceral reminder of the frailty of life. But it shouldn't be.
Remind yourself every morning when you wake up that each day is a gift, and you're bound to make the most of the blessing you've been given. The moment you start acting like life is a blessing is the moment it will start becoming one.
After all, a great day begins with a great mindset.
7. You don't have to wait for an apology to forgive
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Life goes a lot smoother once you let go of grudges and forgive even those who never said they were sorry.
Grudges let negative events from your past ruin today's happiness. Hate and anger are emotional parasites that destroy your joy in life.
The negative emotions that come with holding on to a grudge create a stress response in your body, and holding on to stress can have devastating health consequences. According to researchers at Emory University, holding on to stress contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease.
When you forgive someone, it doesn't condone their actions; it simply frees you from being their eternal victim.
8. You're living the life you've created
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You are not a victim of circumstance; rather, you are in control of your own life and choices. No one can force you to make decisions and take actions that run contrary to your values and aspirations.
An essential truth you must accept to be truly happy is that the circumstances you're living in today are your own — you created them. Likewise, your future is entirely up to you. If you're feeling stuck, it's probably because you're afraid to take the risks necessary to achieve your goals and live your dreams.
When it's time to take action, remember that it's always better to be at the bottom of the ladder you want to climb than at the top of one you don't.
9. Live in the moment
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You can't reach your full potential until you learn to live your life in the present.
No amount of guilt can change the past, and no amount of anxiety can change the future. It's impossible to be happy if you're constantly somewhere else, unable to fully embrace the reality (good or bad) of this very moment.
To help yourself live in the moment, you must do two things:
First, you must accept your past. If you don't make peace with your past, it will never leave you and, in doing so, it will create your future. Second, you need to accept the uncertainty of the future. Worry has no place in the here and now.
10. Change is inevitable — embrace it
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Only when you embrace change can you find the good in it. You need to have an open mind and open arms if you're going to recognize and capitalize on the opportunities that change creates.
You're bound to fail when you keep doing the same things you always have in the hope that ignoring change will make it go away. After all, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
Life doesn't stop for anyone. When things are going well, appreciate them and enjoy them, as they are bound to change. If you're always searching for something more, something better, that you think is going to make you happy, you'll never be present enough to enjoy the great moments before they're gone.
Dr. Travis Bradberry is an award-winning author, and co-founder of TalentSmart, the world's leading provider of emotional intelligence tests. He has been featured in Newsweek, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among many others.