We all deserve happiness. Throughout life, we are constantly seeking ways to make ourselves happy. The problem is, it’s not always that simple. Life will throw a lot of curveballs at you. You will find obstacles that you have to overcome. One of those obstacles, and it’s a big one, is letting yourself be happy.
Letting yourself be happy is incredibly important if you want to truly be happy. It may sound like a routine thing that everyone can do naturally. However, that’s not always the case. Everyone has their own past, upbringing, experiences, and struggles. Sometimes, we don’t really understand how that can affect how we think or what it does to our mental health.
Common causes of self-sabotage:
- Seeking others approval
- Worrying about the past
- Overthinking situations
- Seeking the idea of being “perfect”
Realistically, this list could go on and on. None of us are the same and we all have different things that weigh on our minds. Everything here starts with a self-evaluation. By starting to identify what ways you’re preventing yourself from being happy, you can begin to work on changing your mindset.
3 Ways to let yourself be happy:
Forgive yourself
Your past is behind you, it’s already happened and no matter how troubling, you can’t change it. What you can do, is control what you do right now and what do you do going forward. Learn from your mistakes and use them to become a better you.
Start talking positively to yourself. Give yourself compliments daily even if they feel forced. You deserve to treat yourself with kindness. The more positive you are with yourself, the more your mindset will change for the better.
Appreciate the moment:
We tend to spend too much time in our heads. You have to learn to enjoy what you’re doing in the present. Maybe it’s quality time with someone you care about, taking a walk on a nice day, a family gathering, a celebration, etc. Take some time and appreciate the happy moment you are experiencing. Don’t stress over what comes after. Enjoy the now!
The simple truth is, we don’t let ourselves be happy because it gives us something to lose. But what we fail to realize is that having something to lose isn’t a bad thing. Having something to lose means you have something of value and having these things are what makes life worth living.
Appreciate the things and people you have in your life that bring you joy and let yourself be happy!