Unfortunately and sadly, unhappiness seems far more widespread, accessible and achievable than it’s positive counterpart, happiness. We are told that happiness is a choice; that we have the power to simply make the choice to be happy and live a happy life. Why does this seem so difficult for most? Do you know how to be happy? There seem to be too many variables; too many moving parts; too much out of our control. Let us try a less daunting approach. If unhappiness seems more attainable, let’s study the practices that lead us there– then engineer our lives backwards, from unhappiness, towards happiness.
If you can successfully integrate these 10 practices into your life and functioning, you will be most guaranteed unhappiness. Then, by logical translation, if you can successfully exclude and remove these practices from your life, you may be reasonably assured that you will be closer to that elusive happiness you desire.
- Complain – Complain, be ungrateful and dwell on all the negative that happens. Anything will do, large or small. Make sure to ignore the all the positive around you.
- Avoid – Avoid your problems at all cost; escape; procrastinate; sleep; eat; drink; work; play; engage in excess and distraction; do anything to avoid the issue. Make sure to avoid any positivity. Push away those who love and care for you.
- Compare – Frustrate yourself by comparing yourself to others, and by wanting what others have, that you do not. The bigger, the better; career; money; house; car; relationship; status.
- Worry – Especially, worry about things that have not happened yet, or that could possibly happen. Be creative here.
- Be Overwhelmed – Let your problems overwhelm you, instead of handling them in a grounded manner. Try to freeze and halt progress in any direction.
- Give Up – When life is challenging, simply give up. Don’t do things you love. Literally throw your hands up in the air and stop caring about it all.
- Settle – Stay in relationships and careers that no longer serve you and are not positive in your life. Tell yourself that it is good enough.
- Control – Exercise power and control over people, places and things, instead of working on yourself and cultivating a positive and cooperative existence. Stubbornly try to force all situations.
- Please – Try to please others at all times. Therefore, actually pleasing no one. The more you deny your own true self, the better.
- Attach – Create expectations and emotionally attach yourself to goals, outcomes, statuses, things and people. The greater the importance you place on these attachments, the greater the likelihood of finding unhappiness by not attaining them.
“The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance;
the wise grows it under his feet.”
~James Openheim
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