Is your mind playing tricks on you and robbing you of your happiness? Our minds are complex and are often our own worst enemies when it comes to being happy. Really. Our own brains that we know and love deceive us into thinking something is right when it is really wrong, that we’re in love when we’re not, etc. Recognizing and debunking these traps your mind leads you into is essential to realizing a lasting happiness. Check out this list to see if you are being deceived by your own mind!
I’d be happier if I just had less to do.
Our minds often try to trick us into thinking we’d be happier if we didn’t have to work. We imagine a life of leisure and deceive ourselves into thinking this kind of lifestyle would make us happy. However, the truth is that idleness often leads to boredom and depression. We are industrious, creative beings. We need challenge and accomplishment to be happy. Get up and invest yourself into something significant and you will find that your happiness factor will rise.
It’s not me, it’s you.
Many times our minds lead us to believe we are unhappy due to our spouse, parents, or some other person in our lives. We throw blame around like food in a middle school cafeteria. Of course, it takes two to tango. As Dr. Phil asks, “How’s that workin‘ for ya?” Generally, we are as much, if not more, to blame than others in our lives. We need to accept responsibility for our situation and do our part to make the best of it. Taking personal responsibility for our actions is the beginning of true happiness.
I just need to discover the secret to success to be happy.
I am convinced that there are no “secrets” to happiness or success. As much as authors, publishers, and our own minds would like to convince us that shortcuts exist, they do not. Living a successful life is pretty simple. You create a vision for the future, formulate a strategy, and then work hard to achieve it. There are no shortcuts or secrets to this formula. Accepting this will get you much further down the path to happiness than anything else.
If I just had ...
Our minds deceive us into thinking we’ll be happy when we get the right job or the right house or the right car or whatever. There is nothing wrong with wanting better things or circumstances, but these do not automatically make us happy. They may create a temporary high, but this quickly wears off. Those wanting a lasting happiness must acknowledge that this is a bottomless pit that we can never fill.
