By Michael Schoeff
How many people can wholeheartedly say that they are happy? How many of us are actually pleased with life? Why is it so difficult to find inner peace and happiness? You might say that life is hard – you’re totally right. Life is unpredictable and there are too many variables that we can’t control. However, oftentimes, we make our own lives harder through the negative thoughts that we think, the toxic habits that we form and avoiding the things that we should be doing in order to have a healthy and balanced life.
Man is a complex being and, sometimes, it might be easier to look at the empty part of the glass, which isn’t just toxic to your own well-being, but to others’ also. Your own unhappiness affects the people that you interact with. That’s why it’s important to surround yourself with positive energy so that you will shine on others and help them grow. Let’s see how you can avoid falling into the pit of self-sabotage and live life to its fullest.
1. Stop Holding onto the Past
Regrets and nostalgia – is this the life you want to live? If we want a balanced life, we must take the good with the bad, move on and live in the present. We are the result of all that has happened to us up until now, but it’s no use to dwell on the past, thinking how it would have been if we would have done things differently. Dwelling on the past robs you of living in the present. Your past is the definition of what you have been and the perceived future has an impact on the way you approach life. You can’t change the past, but you can influence the future in your favor by living in the present.
2. Finish What You’ve Started
Do you give up easily when the going gets tough or are you one of the tough that gets going? Are you the enthusiastic type that starts 100 things but quits when it gets difficult? Life is difficult. You’ve surely heard it. If you want to succeed, you have to persevere and to finish what you’ve started, be it a book, a task or a piece of art, will make you feel fulfilled and will bring you great satisfaction. Knowing that you didn’t give up on something is great for your overall self-esteem because it’s something that you yourself accomplished, and nothing can take that away from you.
3. Try New Things
Are you the type of person that comes up with all sorts of excuses not to engage in unfamiliar activities? The funniest and most deceptive excuse is lack of time. The obvious solution to this problem is effective time management, but, given the deceptive nature of this self-sabotaging technique, there might be another underlying issue behind the “lack of time.”
Of course, familiarity is pleasant and we feel more at ease doing things that we’re well acquainted with. The comfort zone is a dangerous place to be in because nothing worthwhile grows there. If you’re starting out on your own or already have an established business and you happen to be your own boss, the comfort zone should be your worst enemy.
There are things in life that we cannot control. At times, we might encounter bad luck and there’s really little we can do about misfortunes. That doesn’t mean that you can’t create your own luck. As an entrepreneur, it’s important for you to be your own best friend and not your worst enemy. There are enough obstacles in life that will slow you down on your road to success. You must walk in a confident, curious and mindful way, so that you make the most of your own resources.
