You have choices to make every day, ranging from deciding what you want for dinner to deciding to look for a better-paying job. But what about the choices that make you content with your life? Are you neglecting those? Happiness can be related to these three decisions; we can teach you how to turn it all around.
Living a happy life doesn’t arrive in the future. It starts right now with these three choices: actively listen to others, stay curious, and do the stuff you DON’T want to do. This article will offer some insight into these important decisions.
Can You Really CHOOSE Happiness? YES!
Decide to Actively Listen to Others
Think about the most talkative person you know. Now, think about the quiet one who only chimes in occasionally because they’re thinking over what they’re going to say. They both have something in common, which may surprise you – neither one is really listening to the conversation.
Preventing anyone from getting a word in and getting caught up in your own thoughts are equally counterproductive when having a real discussion. Have you had a long talk with someone and failed to learn anything about them? You may need to slow down and take an active role in listening.
Take mental notes during a conversation. Remember essential details like where they grew up, went to school, and their interests. These are excellent starting points for new topics; jumping into them will make the other party feel like you’re invested and paying attention to them. Healthy communication is the cornerstone of meaningful relationships, and healthy relationships help us feel fulfilled. Foster them by actively listening to other people.
Keep Your Curiosity Alive
Our brains thrive with new information and every day is an opportunity to learn something new. You don’t need to be in school to learn things—you can make new discoveries in even the most tedious and boring environments. Ask your coworker why they hang up photos of sailboats and you might find yourself with weekend plans.
Thinking about where you want to end up in five years is a nuanced topic to unpack. But, you can go down that road if you’ve lost your sense of curiosity and wonder for the world. It might help you tune into new ideas. Decide to pursue the things that make you curious.
Do Things You Don’t Want to do
Has your list of chores become overwhelming because you’ve stopped chipping away at them? “I don’t want to” or “it’s not that important” might run through your head when you glance down the list. If you’re avoiding the small things you don’t want to do, then you’re probably avoiding the big ones, too.
Identify something you really, really don’t want to do and tackle it. Do another thing. Then another the next day. Before you know it, you may start to feel accomplished and confident again. Decide to tackle the things that scare you or make you feel overwhelmed and reap the fulfilling benefits.
