There are many things in life that make you happy, and there are many things that have the opposite effect. If you’re careful to focus on what makes you happy and decide to go out there and do it, then your quality of life can improve dramatically.
This article will list some of the reasons why people don’t do the things that make them happy as well as challenge you at the end.
1) You Think Just One Thing Will Make You Happy
Many people seem to think that doing what makes you happy means finding this one elusive “thing” that will forever make them happy. The truth is that life is about balance; many things will make you happy. My personal list includes 12 activities that I love to do, and they all make me happy.
Happiness is simply an emotion that you feel which can last a few seconds or a few hours. The key is to have lots of things that make you happy and make the most of them as they surface throughout the day. These can be as subtle as receiving a smile from a loved one or getting thanked at work. They don’t have to be activities you dedicate hours to each day.
2) You’ve Been Taught To Be Happy All The Time
No one on this earth feels happy all the time. Life is full of ups and downs and it’s healthy to experience a range of emotions while attempting to have more positive experiences in your life.
Dancing usually makes me happy; however, I also struggle with the motivation to improve, and this isn’t always fun. I can feel frustrated as I learn and grow, wanting instant results but knowing that this isn’t the way the world works. What you really want is activities that makes you happy most of the time or you’ll never learn and grow.
3) You’re Afraid Of What Others Will Think
It’s surprising but most people don’t think about you half as much as you believe they do. They’re too worried wondering what you think about them.
It’s your life and you get to choose what makes you happy–no one else. Aside from breaking the law or other dodgy behavior, you must decide to do what makes you happy no matter what others think. And generally, when you do the things that make you happy you’ll find out you were more afraid of your imagination than their true reaction anyway.
4) You Don’t Know If You Can Do It
Trying something new is always going to push your comfort zone. There is a time when everyone starts to learn something new and they suck at it. Every great, good or mediocre musician, actor, dancer, business person and sports star has failed along the way of their journey.
Feeling happy is not about the success of reaching a goal. Feeling happy is about the journey you take. It doesn’t matter whether or not you become the best in the world; it matters whether you enjoy the process (or at least most of it).
5) You Don’t Think You Have The Time
Being busy is perhaps the biggest excuse for not doing things that make you happy. But if you spend your life focusing on the things you think you have to do rather than the things you want to do, well, that’s a little backwards.
When you make the things you love doing a priority, then they get done. If you want to do a yoga class during your lunch hour but never seem to make it away from your desk, it’s time to evaluate your priorities. Where else in your life do you put everyone else ahead of what you truly want as well?
6) You Think You’re Going To Live Forever
Life is short and you wake up each morning with a decision. Either you’re going to do things that make you happy or you’re going to scrape through another day in survival mode. Once you start doing more things that make you happy, your life will get a whole lot brighter.
Stop putting off your dreams for a day that will probably never come. As Steve Jobs said:
“I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”
It’s Time To Do What Makes You Happy
No one else is going to create your life for you. You can decide whether to fill your life with things that make you happy or constantly put them off for another day. In Steve Jobs case, it’s lucky that he lived his life to the hilt, as it was cut short far too early. This can happen to anyone.
What’s one thing that you could do today that would make you happy? It doesn’t have to be huge, but it has to be something. Even if it takes just a few minutes, you’ve started to build a happiness habit that will last a lifetime.
