This Simple Trick Is One Of The Easiest Ways To Be Happier
The best way to find happiness might not be as convoluted as people may think.
pikselstock | Shutterstock We're all constantly searching for the key to happiness. Whether it's spending time with loved ones, checking in on yourself, or practicing various self-care habits, we all have things we do to chase peace. However, there might be something even better and cheaper than anything you've tried before.
The trick to being happy truly starts with the way you think about yourself and your life. While being self-aware is usually considered a good thing, it might actually be the one thing that's holding you back from feeling fulfilled.
Here's the simple trick that's one of the easiest ways to be happier.
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The easiest way to be happier is to simply stop thinking about yourself. Most of the time, we hear how important it is to be self-aware and in tune with ourselves. We're told that being self-aware allows us to grow and evolve because we're reflecting on both our faults and our good traits. Being introspective is better than living in ignorance, and while that still holds true, it might not be beneficial to do it too much.
Thinking about yourself too much might be holding you back from true happiness.
It's better not to spend so much time thinking about your life, especially when it comes to problems, things you may want to accomplish in life, and all of the experiences you've had in life, both good and bad. The longer you spend sitting around and thinking about yourself, the unhappier you'll be.
A 2012 study found that in over 14,000 college students, those who were more introspective had lower levels of overall well-being. Similarly, a study from 1997 found that people who spent a lot of time thinking about themselves and their lives had higher anxiety and lower self-esteem.
Nothing good ever comes from ruminating on aspects of your life that you simply cannot change. Instead, it's best to just enjoy each moment as it comes and limit the amount of time that you're thinking about yourself. And when you are thinking about yourself and ways to change your life, it's essential that those thoughts are not only actionable but also positive.
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A large number of Americans are unsatisfied with their lives.
In the 2024 World Happiness Report, which ranks 143 countries across measures of life satisfaction, the U.S. fell eight spots from No. 15 to No. 23 on the list. Researchers were able to identify the culprit of America's fall: young people. While Americans older than 60 ranked 10th for happiness, those younger than 30 ranked 62nd.
"You see an extraordinary increase in dining alone over the past two decades in the U.S.," explained Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, professor of economics at the University of Oxford, leader of the Wellbeing Research Centre, and editor of the World Happiness Report.
"It's the fact that people are increasingly on their own, isolated, their political thinking, their theories around life and society, are no longer tested by others … In our echo chambers, we develop these notions that others are to be distrusted, and we mistrust others, and migrants eat cats and dogs, all that kind of stuff. And as a result, we start believing these things. And the way we've picked up on that is really acute."
Considering the number of people, especially those in younger generations, who are generally unhappy, there might be something good in being able to shift away from trying to change things about our circumstances and instead learning to live. Whether that means forming connections with others or with ourselves, no good comes from constantly being introspective.
"Self-awareness is one of the many arrows in your mental health quiver. To treat it as a panacea for all issues and situations might lead to disappointing results. Listening to the people who love you and want the best for you might be a better solution for when your own sense of self-awareness leads you astray," explained psychologist Mark Travers, Ph.D.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
