11 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happier and Successful

Being happy should be simple, but with all these insane rules and social pressures that we put on ourselves, it’s actually kind of hard. Isn’t that so sad? We hold on to so many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress, and suffering – and instead of letting them all go, instead of allowing ourselves to be stress-free and happy – we cling on to them.

Here’s a list of 11 things to give up. Try just one, it makes a difference:

1. Give up your perfectionism

There are so many of us who can’t stand the idea of being wrong – wanting to always be right – even at the risk of ending great relationships or causing a great deal of stress and pain, for us and for others. It’s just not worth it. Whenever you feel the ‘urgent’ need to jump into a fight over who is right and who is wrong, ask yourself this question: “Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?” Wayne Dyer. What difference will that make? Is your ego really that big?

2. Give up your need to control everything

Some things are up to us, and some things are not up to us. Differentiating these two is important. Detach from the things you cannot control, and focus on the ones you can, and know that sometimes, the only thing you will be able to control is your attitude towards something. Allow everything and everyone to be just as they are and you will see how much better will that make you feel.

3. Give up on negative self-talk

If you engage in negative self-talk, that’s a lot of nasty words being thrown your way. To start, tell yourself how great your day is going to be as you’re riding the subway or driving down the freeway. If you start encountering a rough morning, go outside for a few minutes and repeat some more positive affirmations to yourself.

4. Give up your limiting beliefs

Give up your limiting beliefs about what you can or cannot do, about what is possible or impossible. From now on, you are no longer going to allow your limiting beliefs to keep you stuck in the wrong place. Spread your wings and fly!

5. Give up the luxury of criticism

Give up your need to criticize things, events or people that are different than you. We are all different, yet we are all the same. Resist the temptation to criticize situations or people who are different to you. Realize that everyone is the same in terms of their need to be loved and their desire to be understood and that we all have dreams.

6. Give up your need to impress others

Stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not just to make others like you. It doesn’t work this way. The moment you stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not, the moment you take off all your masks, the moment you accept and embrace the real you, you will find people will be drawn to you, effortlessly.

7. Give up on the negativity of others

Just like a bad cold, negativity can be incredibly contagious. Although it might temporarily feel good to listen to others venting, don’t regret wallowing in a pity party. If you are successful, it is because somewhere, sometime, someone gave you a life or an idea that started you in the right direction. While it’s nearly impossible to rid negative thoughts, people and situations altogether, we can choose to strip away the parts our life that bring us down and instead refocus that energy towards being the best versions of ourselves. You can and should choose to surround yourself with passionate, motivated people.

8. Give up on expecting praise from others

I’m sorry to be the one to break this to you, but nobody will take the time to shower you with praise. That’s why you have to do it yourself. Most people in business will only set aside their precious minutes if they see you doing something wrong, or if they want something from you. Sprinkling your ego with dew drops of praise is the furthest thing from their minds. You’re doing great things, so take your time to recognize it.

9. Give up your excuses

For the most part, excuses do nothing but stop us from growing. A lot of times we limit ourselves because of the many excuses we use. Instead of growing and working on improving ourselves and our lives, we get stuck, lying to ourselves, using all kind of excuses – excuses that 99.9% of the time are not even real.

10. Give up on saying YES to things that don’t support your goals

Successful people know that in order to accomplish their goals, they will have to say NO to certain tasks, activities, and demands from their friends, family, and colleagues. In the short-term, you might sacrifice a bit of instant gratification, but when your goals come to fruition, it will all be worth it.

11. Give up on playing small

If you never try and take great opportunities, or allow your dreams to become realities, you will never unleash your true potential. And the world will never benefit from what you could have achieved. So voice your ideas, don’t be afraid to fail, and certainly don’t be afraid to succeed.

The bottom line: Don’t underestimate the power of positive thinking and ditching negativity in your life. If you like this post, like our Facebook Page for more stuff like this. Also share this post with your friends and family.