There are a lot of things people tend to mistake for happiness since this emotional state can be quite different from one person to another. There are some people who want happiness right away while others don’t mind waiting for delayed gratification. Even though happiness resides in the little things, you should still look at the bigger picture and not mistake it for that temporary happiness that fades in an instant. Here are 7 things most people confuse with happiness that you should consider:
Among the most common things people mistake for happiness is doing a job they don’t like just to pay their bills and to keep a healthy savings account. It’s important to do for a living whatever makes you happy, so don’t sacrifice this aspect of your life. Happiness at work will help you get closer to success, will make other people like and appreciate you more and it will help you be more productive.
No relationship is perfect, every couple goes through fights and they have to overcome all sorts of problems to stay together. Try to assess your relationship every now and then and if you notice that you and your partner have some problems to resolve, try to do everything in your power to save your relationship and to be happy with the one you love.
You don’t need to have the latest car, the latest smartphone or the latest tablet to be happy. Happiness lies in the little things, so don’t mistake this desire of having everything new for happiness. Just ask yourself if you really need those things and don’t spend money on stuff you don’t really want. Try to get optimal value from the things you pay for and only buy things that can really improve the quality of your life and that will make you happy.
It can be very relaxing to have a day off from work and to spend it on your sofa watching TV, but try to figure out if that’s enough sometimes to make you happy. Wouldn’t you rather do more relaxing things on your day off? Do you really like everything you watch on TV or are you often just flipping through channels and indulging yourself by watching shows that aren’t so educational?
Even though venting your fears and frustrations can feel quite liberating sometimes, try not to mistake that feeling for true happiness. If you only complain but you don’t take action, then you are actually doing nothing to solve your problem and you’ll only manage to annoy the people around you.
Do you have to put up with all kinds of so-called friends who drag you down on a daily basis? Even though you should accept and love your friends just the way they are, there are times when some of them can cross certain limits, so you don’t have to always put up with their bad habits. Instead, try to surround yourself with positive and optimistic people who will inspire and encourage you every time you are feeling a little bit down.
It’s healthy to a have a good sense of humor since it’s a quality that will never go out of style. Yet, it’s so easy to become too comfortable with your funniness. Try to notice if you cross certain lines because you wouldn’t like to hurt other people’s feelings just to have a good laugh.
Happiness is easy but in most cases, what people do to achieve it makes it complicated. Try to simplify things and enjoy more the wonderful people and things around you. Do you know any other things people often mistake for happiness? Please tell us what you think in the comments section!
Sources:
lifehack.org