Five Things That We Need To Let Go To Be Happy

There are always things that people should let go of to make their lives a little better. It’s a matter of actually letting them go that seems to hold individuals up though. Looking back on my own life, I can see many instances where I should’ve let something go, but instead, I let it drag me farther and farther down. The majority of people that I know have the same problems as me.

1. We care too much.

   It doesn’t matter if we want to keep others happy, or we want them to like us. It all comes down to four little words: “We care too much.” If we weren’t bothered by what everyone else thinks of us, it would make our lives so much simpler. We wouldn’t have to spend hours doing something that we hate just because someone thinks that we would be good at it. We wouldn’t have to wear certain clothes, buy the best brands, or get our hair and nails professionally done. Even if a person says they don’t care to another individual, 99% of the time that person is lying. It’s in our human nature to care what people think. Even now, as I’m getting older, I still can’t help but wonder what people think when they see me. “Are they talking behind my back? I really hope they like me. Why are they staring?! Am I not a likable person?” After a while, it starts to drive a person crazy. That’s when you take a deep breath, hold your head up high, and push through.

2. Everything is a competition.

   Ever since we were little, we have been taught that everything is a competition. It continued on throughout our elementary to high school years. Once we got to college, it was the same thing. Now that we’re out in the “real world,” it turns out that we’re still in competition, whether it be our school, job, getting married, having kids, or retiring. Everyone is always in a rush to be the first. In all reality, what’s the point? Eventually, we’re all going to end up in the same place, so slow down, take a deep breath, and just breathe and enjoy life while it’s still going on around you.

3. It’s always someone else’s fault.

   We’ve all been there. We’ve all blamed somebody else for something that has happened. It’s always: That person didn’t do their job, so I had to do it, and then this happened. Or I couldn’t do it because that person didn’t give me all of the information I needed. Nobody ever wants to take responsibility and own up to the fact that they might’ve screwed up. If people would admit that they’ve done wrong, this world would be so much better. Swallow your pride, apologize, and acknowledge that you’re not always in the right. Your life will go a lot better once you start doing this.

4. The guilt sucks us in.

   It’s another one of those human nature things. Sometimes things happen that you’re not expecting, and it doesn’t take long before we start to feel the guilt weighing down on us. We feel like we’re the ones who caused it to happen. We’re the reason that somebody got hurt, or we weren’t living our life like we were supposed to. Guilt is a horrible thing to live with. It can eat you up from the inside out, and you have to figure out how to get through each day without doing something you’ll regret. You may consider yourself accountable for things that were totally out of your control, but it’s important to remember not to let that blame control you.

5. Toxic People are real killer. 

   Not only do they have the tendency to make you feel like crap about yourself, but also, they make sure they do everything in their power to keep you like that. There are so many people in this world that will drag you down with them into that deep abyss of loneliness and self-hatred. I know so many people who hate their lives so much that they want everyone around them to be as miserable as they are. You can see all over their faces that they’re not happy, but yet, they do nothing to fix it. Typically, this is because they are surrounded by people exactly like them. If they would separate themselves from these other toxic people, their lives would slowly start improving. It may take a little while, but it is possible.

In order for you to make your life at least a little better, you need to remember who you are. Stop letting every little thing bother you. Don’t look at each step in your life as a competition. The only one you’re competing with is yourself. Accept that you make mistakes, but don’t let them define you. Finally, get rid of those people in your life who are constantly dragging you down. You don’t need them, and you’ll find yourself a lot happier if they’re out of your life.

• Life