4 Thoughts That Happiest People Permanently Remove From Their Life
You won't find peace if you're always negative.
Andrea Piacquadio | Canva Happy people are good at something so many of us can learn from. Are you clinging to something that is not serving you? Is it making you stressed? Is it leading to negative emotions and thoughts that are making you overwhelmed? Do you feel self-doubt? In order to be happier, it may be time to let go of negativity and pain and accept life as it is.
Negativity is harmful energy, which lingers inside our minds and affects our decisions and actions daily. We encounter numerous toxic people every day who deliver subtle negative messages and instill negative ideas constantly.
You are capable of greatness and you will shine through the darkness of negativity, only if you choose to take deliberate positive action. And the only way to do it is by letting go of negative thoughts, emotions, and habits. Here are a few proven ways to help you release negativity from your life so you can count yourself among some of the happiest people you know.
The four negative thoughts that the happiest people remove from their lives:
1. They stop taking things so personally
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Relax. And breathe. Whenever anyone says anything rude or mean to you, simply take a deep breath and let it go.
There is no need for you to take every criticism or verbal attack personally. When someone is being rude to you, it’s because they themselves are hurting inside or frustrated with their own lives. They don’t know how to give or seek love. They are unable to heal themselves.
When someone is being rude to you, you can try to show them compassion instead. Understand what they are trying to say without judgment or feeling the need to retaliate.
Happy people realize that how someone else behaves is not in their control. But, how you react is always in your control. Choose to react positively to their rudeness and watch them back off immediately.
2. They don’t hold on to grudges
How do you let go of grudges? By forgiving them. Forgiveness is one of the most liberating and empowering feelings you can ever experience. Forgiveness is also healthy for you, according to research from Harvard University. However, forgiving someone who has seriously hurt you can be hard.
We often hold on to grudges and negative emotions for people who have hurt us and most of the time, these are the people closest to our hearts. The only way to clear your heart and mind and let go of negativity is to forgive them for what they have done and forgive yourself for holding on to grudges for so long.
Most of the time, we get hurt due to our own exaggerated expectations from people and when our expectations are not met, we feel hurt, disappointed, and angry. But, you need to realize that you cannot control anyone nor do you own anyone.
Everyone is free to do what they want and it is not mandatory for them to meet your expectations in the first place. Even if they have hurt you in some other way, understand that it was not their intention. They simply wanted to do what they thought was best for them.
Whether it’s your parents, your spouse, your partner, or your friends, learn to forgive them for whatever they might have done and send them some light and love. We forgive to heal ourselves and claim our own happiness.
3. They practice self-love
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We often lack self-confidence or have self-doubts from time to time. This can lead to stress, anger, anxiety, fear, and even depression. Such feelings tend to hold us back and prevent us from doing what we truly want to do.
The best way to overcome self-doubt and low self-esteem is to practice positive affirmations daily. Tell yourself that you are awesome. Tell yourself that you love being you.
You don’t need validation from anyone else. The only thing that matters is what you think about yourself. And this is why you should be very careful about what you tell yourself.
Tell yourself every day how much you love yourself and why. I know it sounds a bit cheesy, but it works. Not only will you feel good, but you will bring attention to your positive traits and qualities. It is only when you see the good in you, others will start seeing you the same way.
Whenever negative thoughts start to arise in your mind about yourself or even others, shift your focus to what you can do right now that will make you happy, even if temporarily. By using your energy to feel happiness and satisfaction, you will give less attention to negativity. Positive affirmations lead to positive thinking, and unconditional self-love, and even transform your beliefs for the better.
4. They focus on positive action
Do you know that starving artists are often happier than most business executives? According to a study released by the Journal of Cultural Economics, artists usually have higher job satisfaction than most normal people.
Why? Because they work on their strengths. They do what makes them happy, whether it's singing, playing an instrument, painting, or writing.
Doing what we are good at makes us happy and more positive in general. However, you don’t need to be creative or artistic to feel positive. You can do anything that you love as long as you don’t waste time sitting on your couch and watching TV or Netflix or whatever.
Take positive action. Pursue an online course, spend more time with your dog, write a story, sketch something, go for a hike, volunteer for a cause, sign up for a dance class, get a gym membership, or just go shopping.
There are endless things that you can do by pursuing old and new hobbies. These can boost your mental well-being and make you feel more positive by reshaping your thoughts and ideas. Irrespective of what you do, get busy.
Letting go is easy. Letting go of negative thoughts, ideas, and habits is not that hard once you know how to go about it. Getting rid of negativity in your life starts with a choice. You have to choose to be more positive by taking positive action.
Once you start to let go of negativity, it will become addictive and a lot easier as you progress. All you need to do is be mindful of your thoughts and emotions and take baby steps.
Let go of one negative idea, one negative thought, one negative emotion at a time. It will allow you to cope with your inner demons in a more manageable way and help you find peace and happiness eventually.
Emilia Gordon is a writer and a frequent contributor to the Mind's Journal who writes about social activism, traveling, and lifestyle topics.