Can’t seem to catch up with happiness? Perhaps you are making typical mistakes that prevent you from enjoying life – check yourself.
Relaxing on the sofa
A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, which means it can significantly spoil and even shorten life – this is confirmed by the results of numerous studies. Are lazy evenings in front of the TV too expensive? It is obvious that sitting at a desk is not healthier. The lack of minimal physical activity day after day weakens the body – you quickly get tired even from a light walk and become a hostage to the “bed” regime. What kind of satisfaction with life can we talk about if this is the life of a couch potato?
Avoid attachments
Close interactions with other people add value and meaning to our lives. And they’re incredibly healthy. Scientists have found that people with strong social connections live longer, and that being in long-term relationships reduces the risk of depression, suicide, and substance abuse. Another study of nearly 6,000 people found that family people can expect to live longer, while single people, on average, die earlier. Whether it’s friendship, marriage, or family, humans need close connections to be happy: it’s our nature.
Fear of change
If a person is afraid of the slightest deviation from the usual order of things, he deprives himself of opportunities, experience, and therefore growth. Do you really like routine so much that everything new causes hostility and fear? Try a new dish, a new sport, or even a new route home – along with vivid impressions, pleasure from each day will come into your life, because you will feel that it was not in vain. In addition, this way you will broaden your horizons and become an interesting conversationalist, because you will have something to tell.
Hate work
For most people, work takes up most of their lives, so being busy with something you enjoy is an important condition for satisfaction and moral well-being. Overtime and stress are literally killing you – in Japan, there is even a special term for this, “karoshi”, which literally means “death from overwork”. To avoid this, don’t be afraid to explore career options. Sometimes the problem with stress is not in the profession at all, but in the people – you shouldn’t put up with an unpleasant team for years.
Spend the whole day indoors
Getting outside and spending time in nature can boost your self-confidence and improve your ability to interact with others. For starters, the benefits of sunlight, as well as the negative effects of artificial light, have been well-studied. Researchers have also found that “adventure therapy”—wildlife excursions—can promote weight loss and boost self-esteem, which is hardly surprising. Find time for even a tiny walk every day, and your life will change noticeably!
Sleep less
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of healthy sleep for good health. It is not necessary to sleep exactly eight hours if you wake up refreshed after seven, each person has their own norm. At the same time, there is no doubt: regular lack of sleep negatively affects the brain and the quality of life in general. And if you have insomnia, try 7 ways to fall asleep quickly without sleeping pills and counting sheep.
Ignore creativity
A study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that creativity helps manage stress and anxiety, promotes positive emotions, and reduces the risk of depression. Another study published in the Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine found that creative writing improves the immune response of HIV patients. In short, creating art has many health benefits—don’t hold back
Compare yourself to others
Any comparison of your own successes with the achievements of another person is not entirely objective. We know everything about ourselves and are often inclined to embellish the scope of our own difficulties and obstacles. A bright personality is usually judged from the outside with bias: they say that with such data/sponsors/education anyone will become a star. Do not rush to conclusions. It is better to concentrate on your development and rejoice in your own achievements than to waste time on envy and unfounded assumptions about someone else’s luck while life passes you by.