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Hey there, folks! Ever wonder what it takes to live a life that’s, well, less than inspiring? You’re in the right place because we’re diving headfirst into the world of miserable habits. No, we’re not here to promote gloom and doom, but rather to help you identify those joy-stealers and kick them to the curb. Whether you’re guilty of a few of these yourself or just plain curious, join us in this eye-opening journey to explore 11 ways to live a miserable life. Trust us, by the end of this, you’ll be itching to embrace the brighter side of life.
Read also: 11 Bad Habits You Need To Overcome In Your 20s
1. Staying in Your Comfort Zone
So, you’re all snug in your comfort zone, watching life pass by. But here’s a harsh truth – there’s no growth to be found here. Real progress, those big leaps toward your dreams, they happen when you embrace discomfort.
Yep, that’s right, stepping out of your cozy cocoon is the first step toward personal growth. Imagine a world where you only do what’s comfortable – dreams would stay dreams, and life would become a mundane loop.
Worse still, staying in this comfort bubble will make you anxious when life throws a curveball your way. So, if you’re looking for a recipe for a miserable life, make comfort your best friend.
2. Settling for the Bare Minimum
Greatness is achieved by going above and beyond. But not just in the things you enjoy doing but in everything else as well.
After all, how you do anything is how you do everything!
By only doing the bare minimum in life, on the other hand, you will only ever experience the bare minimum of life as well.
And life is hard. Everyone has experienced this at one point or another.
The extraordinary often makes life beautiful, like that especially gorgeous sunset or this thrilling love story you’ve never experienced before.
However, the extraordinary is only achieved through exceptional effort. This is why a sure way to live a miserable life is by only doing the necessary.
3. Choosing to Settle for What You Have
We all hit rough patches, times when life deals us a less-than-ideal hand. The easy route is to settle, to accept that things are as they are and we should make peace with them. You know, the whole “better the devil you know” idea. But guess what? That’s a recipe for misery.
Escaping your current situation and forging a better path takes courage, determination, hard work, and a sprinkle of patience. It’s not a cakewalk, but the transformation is undeniably worth it. Don’t be the one who settles, be the one who thrives.
4. Unshakable Realism
You should be realistic, right?
After all, there is no use in chasing unattainable dreams and getting disappointed, right?
Wrong.
Strict realism is only going to create a miserable life for you.
Think about it. Have you ever met a so-called ‘realist’ who seemed to glow with happiness and who was passionate about their life?
Most likely not. Most people who call themself realists have more the vibe of a depressed and cynic pessimist.
They don’t dream big and enjoy the magic of visualizing themself living a dream life.
They don’t believe in miracles and don’t feel looked out for by the Universe or God when a ‘coincidence’ happens.
They don’t realize that by staying realistic, they rob themselves of some of the most important keys to a happy life and create a miserable life instead. Don’t trap yourself in this limiting mindset.
5. People Pleasing Over Self-Prioritization
People will always have requests, and sometimes, they’ll demand you to be someone you’re not. The easier path? Give in, avoid conflict, and follow the crowd. But let’s be real – this is a one-way ticket to misery.
True happiness thrives when you’re free to be who you are and do what you love. It’s not selfish; it’s essential.
Remember those airplane safety videos that remind you to secure your mask before helping others? That wisdom applies to life too. Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish; it’s how you become the best version of yourself.
So, put your oxygen mask on first.
6. Chasing Instant Gratification
In a world where you can get almost everything on demand, it’s no wonder we have become impatient.
We can watch thousands of movies and series with only a few taps on a screen.
We can purchase most items with a few clicks and get them delivered within the next few days.
In other words, we’ve been terribly spoiled.
And while we know that spoiling a child rotten will create problems later on, we don’t realize that the instant gratification of our every want is sabotaging us as well.
Because a lack of patience will lead you to a miserable life.
Patience is needed to develop every skill, especially since the beginning tends to be frustrating and full of failure.
The best things in life require patience and faith in the eye of a snail-like process.
You can’t build a successful blog or YouTube channel overnight.
You can’t become the leading expert in your field within a few weeks of work.
And you certainly can’t have a deep and passionate relationship within a few dates.
So a great way to join the rank of miserable people is by following the path of instant gratification with every decision you make.
7. Isolating Yourself from Others
Listen, I get it. Being around people can be exhausting. Sometimes it seems like every annoying or stressful situation could have been avoided if we’d just stayed at home.
Especially introverts know that much happiness can be found in solitude.
However, the pandemic has shown more clearly than ever to most of us that self-isolation eventually leads to unhappiness.
We all crave a friend to share a meme with, to celebrate wins, and to rant about life’s curveballs. Social media friendships, though valuable, can’t replace the richness of real-life connections.
So keep that in mind the next time you isolate yourself from your friends. This could be the beginning of a miserable life.
8. Living on Autopilot
Routines are comfortable and efficient. But they’re also terribly boring after a while.
Humans need safety and enough variety in their lives to find real happiness.
A life purely by routine doesn’t provide that variety. Surprise, spontaneity, and adventure do.
But most of the time, we have to push ourselves to be spontaneous or go on adventures.
It takes courage to do something new, especially if you’ve been stuck in your routine for a long time.
But hey, you won’t have to bother pushing yourself if you’d rather be miserable for the rest of your life.
9. Stop Learning Actively
Consistently learning new things and adapting to our rapidly changing world has never been more important than right now.
As Tony Robbins said: “If you are not growing, you are dying.”
Life will become much harder if you don’t keep up to date with technical, economic, and societal changes. Your career will also plummet if you let everyone overtake you.
Last but certainly not least, actively straining your mind by learning new things is a good habit to keep your brain in great shape as you age.
Despite all these good reasons to actively learn new things, most people decide that the end of school also means an end to intentional studying.
And hey, if your goal is to live a miserable life, keep on doing that!
10. Ignoring Stress Management
Being stressed not only puts a great strain on your happiness but it also has tragic and lasting consequences on your physical and mental health.
Some amount of stress can’t be avoided in our fast-paced world. However, great amounts of chronic stress are down to the habits in your life and can therefore be broken by implementing better habits.
Things such as meditation, a digital detox, changing your job, spending more time in nature, going to therapy, and moving out of the city can all work wonders on your stress levels.
But hey, if you enjoy living a stressed and miserable life, go right ahead and keep doing what you are doing.
11. Living in the Past or Future
Being mentally stuck on the past or the future instead of focusing on the present at hand is a miserable mindset. The past is often filled with regrets and other negative feelings while anticipating the future can make you very anxious.
Of course, there is also joy in good memories or the hopes for a better future. However, you need to be in the present first and foremost, or else you’ll be sure to create more regrets and miss out on a great future.
And there you have it, folks – a closer look at 11 habits that can seriously put a damper on life’s grand parade. But remember, life is too short to let misery take the reins. So let’s make a pact to bid farewell to these gloomy tendencies and make way for a brighter, happier, and more fulfilled version of ourselves. We’ve got this!
Thanks for joining us on this journey, and here’s to a future filled with positivity, joy, and all the good stuff that makes life truly amazing.
Cheers to a brighter tomorrow! 🌟😊
