Ahh the pursuit of happiness; No limits by age, gender, culture or demographics. Some people seem to be happy for no apparent reason. While for others, being happy is a constant battle.
It may take a whole series of books to explain the dynamics of true happiness, but we all love simplicity. There is one thing that all happy people have in common: the ability to let go.
It takes strength to hold on, but sometimes it takes even more strength to let go.
People know that what you eat affects your health. But stress, unhappiness and accumulated negative emotions are the most toxic.
Here are the top 10 things you need to let go of in order to be happy for the rest of your life:
10. Let go of the need to be comfortable. You cannot enrich your life by being comfortable all the time. Change is the new ‘norm’. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Growth and liberation only happen outside of the Comfort Zone. Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what is, for what could become.
9. Let go of apologies. Excuses keep you from the true desires of your heart. Excuses are like walls between you and your dreams. Your mind has the power to justify every decision you make. After all, your excuses have to be good to convince you of them, right? You are not the victim, you are the creator. The question is, can you accept that responsibility?
8. Let go of the need to control. Needing control and the need to be right is a sure path to unhappiness. Control is an illusion that arises from expectation. And being right may bring you satisfaction, but ultimately you are seeking happiness through disempowering others. It’s feeding your ego, not your happiness, so it won’t bring a sense of true fulfillment. Unfortunately, many people would rather be right than happy. (They usually become grumpy people). Take the higher road and unleash your power ride. You and those around you will be much happier in the end.
7. Let go of the need for approval. Needing validation from others is a sign of insecurity. Although it may feel good to have the validation and approval of others, it is external. So if you don’t understand, you’re not happy. When you need constant approval to make you happy, you will always be empty inside. Don’t change for other people’s approval. Be authentic and true to yourself and the right people will love you. And never apologize for being honest.
6. Let go of guilt. We give up our power to grow when we blame others. It disempowers us by putting our happiness in other people’s hands. Don’t blame anyone in life. Good people give you happiness. The bad people give you experience, the worst people give you lessons, and the best people give you inspiration. Forgiveness is one of the most powerful ways to free yourself from emotional bondage. The best thing about forgiveness is that we free ourselves and make space to be happy.
5. Let go of beliefs that don’t support you. The biggest trick the devil ever played was to make people think he didn’t exist. Self-deception is like that. We may not be aware of the enemy within. That enemy is limiting and unsupportive beliefs. Realize the real lies. Your perception is the framework on which your beliefs are built. That is, what you believe to be true or fact is based on perception and can be changed. “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” -Wayne Dyer
4. Let go of negative self-talk. This practice alone has the power to change your entire life. Did you know that you talk to yourself about 60,000 times a day? The shocking thing is that up to 80% of most people’s self-talk is negative! So don’t believe everything you think. Consider your brain like a computer. What kind of computer would you have if most of the programming was wrong? If you had a friend who spoke to you the way you speak to yourself, would you want that person to be your friend? Managing your inner voice is essential for your happiness.
3. Let go of attachment. Attachment brings expectations. And unfulfilled expectations lead to resentment, taking us further away from happiness. It’s not to say you don’t care. It’s that you don’t interfere. Detachment comes from the point of view of abundance. Attachment comes from the point of view of need, which drives you away. Therefore, it puts happiness outside of you and it becomes conditional. Whether you are attached to the conditions of a certain outcome, person, place, or thing, attachment disempowers you and cannot bring you happiness. Remember, experience is what we get when we don’t get what we wanted.
2. Let go of fear. Fear is nothing more than false emotions that seem real. Yet it remains a debilitating and strange judgment, blocking us from our dreams. It is an illusion and your mind is both the magician and the audience. Remember: your faith, passion and belief is the fuel that will overcome fear. You will find your happiness on the other side, and you will grow stronger from it.
1. Let go of the past. The first thing happy people have in common is that they live in the present moment. Don’t judge yourself by your past, you don’t live there anymore! You can’t move on to the next chapter of your life if you keep rereading the last one. The past is history, the future is a mystery and the Now is a gift, that is why it is called the Present.
Remember, happiness is an inside job. We can never achieve true happiness if we rely on external conditions or factors. Use these 10 ways to break free to help you manage your state of happiness, from moment to moment and from day to day… and you’ll look back on a happy life.
…a wise man once said: “There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.”
Keep training your inner dragon! It is the practice, not just the knowledge that changes your life. It’s not easy but it’s worth it!