Bad habits to stop...

I am definitely not perfect, nor is anyone else out
there. However, I am someone with a vested
interest in improving myself and finding ways to
live a happier, more meaningful life. I know what
it’s like for things to seriously suck. I know what
it is to feel like the world is conspiring against
you. I also know that changing the way you think
about yourself and carry yourself in the world can
have an enormous impact on your life as a whole.
I have thought a lot about the idea of bad habits
to stop and good ones to adopt (no, I’m not
talking about things like smoking, eating fast
food, biting your nails, etc). It isn’t always easy,
but I do it and in turn, I have seen some pretty
incredible results.
Read on to learn how to improve your life and
happiness with a few minor adjustments!

STOP : Thinking/saying bad things about people.
ADOPT: Looking for the positive in people
We have all been guilty of this one at one point or
another- ‘she’s not pretty, what does he see in
her?’ ‘She’s annoying why does anyone like her?’
“Ew, that guy is gross, why is he talking to me?”
“What in the world is that girl wearing?” And I
think I could go on and on for days. The things
you say/think about other people actually say
more about you than they do the other person.
These things usually reflect some deep-rooted
insecurity or bitterness and manifest themselves
as ‘projection.’
Not only that, when you think mean things about
people, it just changes your whole vibration and
effects the energy that you put out to the world
(not to sound too new age but it’s true!). Sure
sometimes people annoy us or do things we don’t
approve of, but instead of dwelling on the
negatives, why not look at something positive?
Trust me, thinking positive thoughts about other
people is a much healthier way to truly feel good
as opposed to putting them down and
subconsciously reveling in your supposed
superiority.

STOP: Putting yourself down
ADOPT: Total acceptance for who you are
“I’m so fat” “I’m so dumb” “I’m so lazy”- do
thoughts like these bring any value to your life?
NO! These thoughts only bring you down, zap you
of all motivation, and make you feel like crap.
Sure, striving towards improvement is a wonderful
thing, but you will not get there by being your
own worst enemy. Instead of ‘I’m so fat’ why
not try: ‘My body isn’t perfect, but I do have
great (insert positive attribute) and I can work on
improving everything else.” Sounds simple (and it
is), but trust me, it works. People don’t give
thoughts enough credit. Thoughts affect
everything- how we feel, what we say, how we
interpret the world around us. What you think has
a huge impact on your mood, so what do you
think is gonna happen when you allow yourself to
be consumed with negative thoughts? Well, you’re
gonna end up in a negative mood!
Positive people who truly love and accept
themselves are like magnetic attraction-fields.
Those are the kind of people that others really
want to be around because of their infectious
aura. Well now YOU can be one of those people.

STOP: Criticizing
ADOPT: Understanding
Criticizing others is a surefire way to not get
them to respond in the way you want. When you
criticize, it stirs resentment in the other person
more than anything else and severely cripples
their motivation (just think about all the times
you’ve been criticized). Instead, try to offer praise,
acknowledgment, and encouragement first. People
are much more likely to do something (and to
want to do it) when they know their work is being
valued and appreciated. Also, it never actually
feels good to be the criticizer (it usually makes
me feel guilty and kind of like a bitch). Trust me,
you’ll get the results you want and will feel a
whole lot better if you use appreciation, kindness,
and some helpful and constructive suggestions
rather than an outright attack.

STOP :Bragging
ADOPT: Being humble
Bragging is the biggest indicator that someone is
insecure. When you brag, it isn’t usually because
you really think you’re so great and incredible, it’s
because you don’t believe these things but want
to make other people think they’re true, make
sense?
Bragging will get you nowhere. Well it will get you
a few places, it will annoy people, it will incite
eye-rolls galore, and it will make people think
you’re either painfully insecure or annoyingly full
of yourself.
Sometimes it feels like we need assurance, like we
need someone to say: ‘Wow, you did that? That’s
amazing! You are so incredible!’ However, just
because it feels like we need it doesn’t mean we
actually do. You know what’s even better than
relying on other people to pick us up when we’re
down? Picking ourselves up! You can’t find
happiness or confidence on the outside, these
things come from within. So praise yourself,
acknowledge your achievements and know that
you’re awesome.