Most of us are guilty of complaining in our daily lives, whether it be in our minds about the traffic, or to our friends about work or even the bad customer service we received last night. In fact, research shows that most people complain once every minute throughout a typical conversation.
Complaining is tempting because it feels comforting to us. As good as it may feel, it is actually detrimental on our mental and physical health.
Life is tough. There is no denying that. I believe however we are still able to live a life of joy and happiness and it isn't as hard as winning 20 million dollars in the lotto or moving to an island in Greece and shutting off from the rest of the world. It can happen with no tools, no money and no resources. It can happen now and it starts with you.
I will summarise these eight predictors of joy based on the book and my interpretations.
Sometimes, that little thing in our heads called the brain can be our worst enemy and we don't even know it. As humans we adapt very quickly, and when we get used to things we are less likely to all of a sudden look at something from a different perspective in order for change to take place.
So here are 4 ways you could be sabotaging yourself.
You might think you’re a grateful person, but keep in mind there is a big difference between thinking you are grateful and actually practising gratitude everyday. Just like there is a difference between knowing something and actually doing it! In today’s modern society it is becoming harder and harder for us to have a deep sense of gratitude because let’s face it, most things are handed to us on a silver platter and we just get used to it.
Over my life and career, I've seen it time and time again where people set out to make a change in their life, whether it be wanting to improve their diet, trying to get more sleep, wanting to choose healthier relationships or deciding to go to the gym.
There is a big difference between wanting to make a change and actionably making a change. They say what you say about yourself is a reflection of what you want to be and what you actually do is a reflection of who you are.
Adopting mindfulness is like bringing it back to the basics- simple to understand and practice yet so powerful at the same time. It is also very liberating to know that you don’t need to sit with a negative emotion all day long or this situation is not the end of the world and that I can do something about this to turn it around.
