I don’t know about you, but for me, since starting this 30 Day Happiness Habit Challenge, I’ve been way more aware of the happiness in the people around me. Have you experienced the same thing? What I mean is that this challenge is causing me to look at people more closely and pay attention to their actions and feelings, and how those two correlate. It’s been interesting and has given me some fresh perspectives on happiness in general.
While I’ve noticed this before, one thing has stood out over and over these last few weeks is that people that seem the most unsatisfied with their life and the least happy are the ones that spend a lot of their time and energy complaining. They are too busy talking about how horrible their life is that they don’t have any time left to do something about it. Or maybe they’d rather complain than change things. Either way, the solution seems to be simple. Stop complaining and start taking action.
At some point, we all will have those times that we complain about something. Sometimes we do it in our heads, sometimes we vent with a close friend or family member. We grumble, get it off our chest, and that alone makes us feel a little better. That’s fine, provided complaining isn’t all we do. Sure, there are times when we complain, feel a little better, and the situation resolves itself. But then there are also going to be those times when things won’t get better and we won’t feel happier in the long run unless we do something.
Let’s look at some examples of situations that won’t change unless you do something about it:
You’re not happy in your job – this isn’t going to change unless you do something about it. Maybe that means you need a different position or an entirely different job with a different company. Whatever it is, you have to take the action to move to a job where you will be happier.
You’re not happy with what you get paid – you can’t change this unless you work your way up the ladder into higher paid positions, ask for a raise, or find a company that pays more.
You’re not happy with your weight – it’s time to clean out your cupboards, pantry and refrigerator. You have to replace the ‘bad’ foods with the ‘good’ foods and set yourself up for success when it comes to making healthier eating choices. You have to make the decision to get up and go for a walk instead of choosing to sit and binge 10 episodes of Games of Thrones even though it’s a good show 😉
It’s truly amazing how much you can shape your life for the better once you stop complaining and start taking action.
So today I want to leave you with a question to think about:
What are you going to do today to make your life better and increase your long-term happiness?
Would you be interested in an exciting, unique, and fun way to experience happiness? If so be sure to check out Experience.Happy – our newest coloring adventure, a 5 senses immersive coloring adventure! Each month, we’ll present to you a different topic on something that will make you happy.