We’re all familiar with the classic seven deadly sins: envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride, sloth and wrath. But there’s a new set of vices that have emerged in our modern world—and if left unchecked can have a devastating effect on your health and happiness. All too often we forget that it’s not just what we eat or what we wear or even how much money we make that defines us; it’s also how we choose to spend those things. In this article I’ll show you 10 habits that will change your live for the better!
Avoid negative people.
When you’re around negative people, it’s easy to get sucked into their negative energy. These types of people are a drain on your energy and can make you feel like a failure no matter how hard you try not to let them do that.
It’s important to recognize that these kinds of people are not going to change their ways anytime soon–and even if they did, there would still be no guarantee that they wouldn’t revert back at some point in the future. But what if instead of trying so hard? What if instead of focusing on changing them (which won’t work), we just focused on changing ourselves?
The next time someone starts complaining about something or someone else who’s done something wrong (and trust me when I say this happens alllllll day long), tune out as much as possible and focus on yourself instead: “I’m great! My life is amazing! Everything is working out perfectly.” And then smile 🙂
Be grateful.
“Gratitude is the willingness to acknowledge what you have, and be happy with it,” says author and happiness researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky. “It’s not about being thankful for what you don’t have.”
So how do you practice gratitude? Start by writing down three things that went well today–the weather, maybe, or your friend’s kind words at lunch–and then think about why they went well. Did someone help out? Did you do something nice for someone else? Did your boss give praise where it was due? Take a moment to appreciate these things every day (and make sure they’re not too big or small), and soon enough the habit will become second nature: You’ll find yourself smiling more often because of all of the amazing things that are happening in your life right now!
Eat less processed food.
- Processed food is bad for you.
- Processed food is high in sugar and salt.
- Processed food is high in calories, but low in nutrients.
- Processed food is full of fat and cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease if consumed regularly over time.
- Preservatives are added to processed foods so they’ll last longer on the shelf or during shipping–but these preservatives aren’t good for your body!
Exercise more often.
- Exercise more often.
- Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind. It helps reduce stress, improves sleep quality, boosts energy levels and strengthens muscles–all of which can improve your overall health and well-being. But if you’re like me, it’s easy to fall into a routine where exercise becomes something that happens when it happens (rather than an everyday occurrence). If this sounds like something that could describe your current fitness routine then I have some good news: there are plenty of ways to make exercise more regular in your life!
- Incorporate exercise into daily activities whenever possible by walking instead of driving or taking the stairs instead of elevators or escalators at work or school; getting off at different subway stops than usual on weekend mornings; playing with kids outside rather than watching TV together at night before bedtime; etcetera! The key here is making physical activity automatic so we don’t even think about doing anything else instead–which means once these habits become second nature they’ll become part of our daily lives without any extra effort needed at all!
It’s OK to go it alone sometimes.
You don’t need to rely on other people for happiness.
It’s OK to go it alone sometimes. Sometimes, you just have to do things by yourself, and that’s fine! You can be happy by yourself, as long as you are in control of your own happiness.
Learn to say no to things that aren’t good for you or your life.
The first step to saying no is accepting that you have the right to do so. You don’t have to be a martyr or sacrifice yourself for others. You can say no without feeling guilty, and you should never feel bad about saying no if it’s in your best interests.
In order to get better at saying no, practice this phrase: “I’m sorry but I can’t help myself right now.” This will give people an opening to ask why and move on from there, instead of pressuring or guilt-tripping you into doing something against your will (which won’t end well). If someone does try to pressure or guilt trip you into doing something against your will (which also won’t end well), then just tell them that “I’m sorry but I can’t help myself right now.” It’s not personal–they just don’t understand what it means when someone says they’re busy!
Here are some examples of things that may come up in conversations where people ask for favors:
Meditate regularly.
Meditation is one of the best things you can do for your mind and body.
It’s been shown to reduce stress, improve focus, help you sleep better and make you feel happier overall. If you’re new to meditation or just want some tips on how to get started, check out this article on how to meditate: https://www.bustle.com/articles/73976-how-to-meditate-the-10-best-ways-to-start
Practice altruism regularly (donating money, volunteering).
It’s good for your health.
Helping others makes you feel better about yourself, and that feeling of self-worth is actually beneficial to your body. Studies have shown a link between altruism and lower levels of stress, which can lead to lower blood pressure and a healthier heart. In fact, some researchers believe that helping others may be one of the best ways to prevent heart disease in older adults!
It’s also free! You don’t have to buy anything or spend any money on doing this habit–you just need some time out of your day (and maybe transportation costs if you’re volunteering).
Spend time in nature every day if possible (even if it’s just a few minutes).
Spending time in nature every day if possible (even if it’s just a few minutes) can do wonders for your mental health. It can help you relax and unwind, de-stress, feel more positive, think more clearly and feel more connected with the world around you.
It doesn’t have to be anything fancy–just go on a walk outside or sit by a window that looks out over trees or water.
A healthy body, mind and spirit is key to happiness
- Body. A healthy body is essential to maintaining a good quality of life, but it’s also important for happiness. Most people who suffer from chronic pain or illness find that their mental state suffers as well.
- Mind. A happy mind is one that isn’t constantly worrying about things that may or may not happen in the future, and instead focuses on what is happening right now–the present moment.
- Spirituality/Religion/Faith/Prayer/Meditation/etc.. The key here is finding something you believe in strongly enough to help keep your spirits up when times get tough–this can be anything from prayer or meditation to attending church services weekly with friends who share similar beliefs (or even joining a book club!).
We hope that you have found this list of habits to be helpful and inspiring. If there is one thing we want you to take away from it, it’s that there are so many small changes we can make in our lives that will lead us toward a more fulfilling existence.