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15 Things You Should Give up to Be Happy

Here is a list of 15 things which, if you give up on them, will make your life a

lot easier and much, much happier. 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. Not anymore. Starting today we will give up on all those things that no longer serve us, and we will embrace change. Ready? Here we go:

 

1. Give up your need to always be right.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 for control. Be willing to give up your need to always control everything that happens to you and around you – situations, events, people, etc. Whether they are loved ones, coworkers, or just strangers you meet on the street – just allow them to be. Allow everything and everyone to be just as they are and you will see how much better will that make you feel.

“By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond winning.” Lao Tzu

 

3. Give up on blame. Give up on your need to blame others for what you have or don’t have, for what you feel or don’t feel. Stop giving your powers away and start taking responsibility for your life.

 

4. Give up your self-defeating self-talk. Oh my. How many people are hurting themselves because of their negative, polluted and repetitive self-defeating mindset? Don’t believe everything that your mind is telling you – especially if it’s negative and self-defeating. You are better than that.

“The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.” Eckhart Tolle

 

5. 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!

“A belief is not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the mind” Elly Roselle

 

6. Give up complaining. Give up your constant need to complain about those many, many, maaany things – people, situations, events that make you unhappy, sad and depressed. Nobody can make you unhappy, no situation can make you sad or miserable unless you allow it to. It’s not the situation that triggers those feelings in you, but how you choose to look at it. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking.

 

7. 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. We all want to be happy, we all want to love and be loved and we all want to be understood. We all want something, and something is wished by us all.

 

8. 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.

 

9. Give up your resistance to change. Change is good. Change will help you move from A to B. Change will help you make improvements in your life and also the lives of those around you. Follow your bliss, embrace change – don’t resist it.
“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls” Joseph Campbell

 

10. Give up labels. Stop labeling those things, people or events that you don’t understand as being weird or different and try opening your mind, little by little. Minds only work when open. “The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.” Wayne Dyer

 

11. Give up on your fears. Fear is just an illusion, it doesn’t exist – you created it. It’s all in your mind. Correct the inside and the outside will fall into place.
“The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Franklin D. Roosevelt

 

12. Give up your excuses. Send them packing and tell them they’re fired. You no longer need them. 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.

 

13. Give up the past. I know, I know. It’s hard. Especially when the past looks so much better than the present and the future looks so frightening, but you have to take into consideration the fact that the present moment is all you have and all you will ever have. The past you are now longing for – the past that you are now dreaming about – was ignored by you when it was present. Stop deluding yourself. Be present in everything you do and enjoy life. After all life is a journey not a destination. Have a clear vision for the future, prepare yourself, but always be present in the now.

 

14. Give up attachment. This is a concept that, for most of us is so hard to grasp and I have to tell you that it was for me too, (it still is) but it’s not something impossible. You get better and better at with time and practice. The moment you detach yourself from all things, (and that doesn’t mean you give up your love for them – because love and attachment have nothing to do with one another,  attachment comes from a place of fear, while love… well, real love is pure, kind, and self less, where there is love there can’t be fear, and because of that, attachment and love cannot coexist) you become so peaceful, so tolerant, so kind, and so serene. You will get to a place where you will be able to understand all things without even trying. A state beyond words.

 

15. Give up living your life to other people’s expectations. Way too many people are living a life that is not theirs to live. They live their lives according to what others think is best for them, they live their lives according to what their parents think is best for them, to what their friends, their enemies and their teachers, their government and the media think is best for them. They ignore their inner voice, that inner calling. They are so busy with pleasing everybody, with living up to other people’s expectations, that they lose control over their lives. They forget what makes them happy, what they want, what they need….and eventually they forget about themselves.  You have one life – this one right now – you must live it, own it, and especially don’t let other people’s opinions distract you from your path.

 

This article is reprinted with permission. Dana Saviuc is an enthusiastic student of the arts, economics, psychology and spirituality.
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50 PAST RESPONSES

User avatar
Charles Aug 6, 2024
Trite!
User avatar
Marcelo Figueredo da Silva Feb 12, 2021

How can I live my own life if somebody else depends on me 100%. I cannot feel fine giving upy life to live my mother's. I'm sorry
I'm ok with that.

User avatar
Asad Dec 15, 2013

Bullshit,

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rani Nov 21, 2013

very effective.

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middlewayministries Aug 29, 2013

This is working a 12 Step Program. Yes! It works. :)

User avatar
Hariharan Krishnan, India Aug 11, 2013

thank you so much! Yes, life is full of conflicts. How much of the conflict is a product of one's own re-construction and how much of it is actual?
When we study it deeply, we realize that conflicts are products of our reaction to a situation. Quite like the way we don't see gulping down a chicken nugget or plucking an apple as a conflict zone although we don't see the pain or harm caused to them as a result of our cautions, similarly let's look at social or political violence as witnessed by the media from a certain distance. In short, happiness comes from our ability to provide help and ways to live one's lives with dignity and self-sustenance. Since we have seen traditional state-driven ways of welfare as autocratic and demeaning, we have strangely chosen to call these basic but fundamentally 'human' ways as 'alternative'.

User avatar
Kathy Apr 17, 2013

An all round excellent article ...! We can do it; pick one and start!

User avatar
Tp Feb 23, 2013

Its not that complicated people . Take bits and pieces you agree with and put the rest on a shelf . Those critizing thats your mind moving beautiful now enjoy life.....if you want to.

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bhanurekha Jan 29, 2013

thankyou so much for this wonderful article,but it is some hard to follow it oterwise it is excellent ways to find happiness.

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Raoman Smita Nov 15, 2012

great writing and really inspiring :)

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Elaine Morrison Aug 26, 2012

Excellent article. These items are subtle and when you connect with them, you know. Although rational, they don't operate on a rational level, but on something very subtle, precious, powerful, and intuitive. I'm now looking at the doggie and the monkey picture, thinking, "Oh, no, it's that monkey again. Think positive thoughts. Yes, that's my nose. Think positive thoughts."

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Brianna Aug 22, 2012

If this article doesn't make sense, you have taken the depth out of it.. it's perfectly written for those who are wiling to let go and let God.. being young and suffering death, trauma, and despair gives you the strength to pick up the pieces, put them back together, and live life everyday like it is your last... if you know when your last day is, good luck making it awesome.

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jewel-yah Aug 15, 2012

I agree with all of these, but from my experience it has taken a lot of "work" with the help of a 12-step program and professional counseling to be able to not only mentally agree, but to have the resources to actually know "how" to give up these things. Without resources, no matter how much I might "want" to give these things up, I had no clue "how" to do it. So if you have an opportunity to work a 12-step program, I highly recommend it.

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Thane Jul 27, 2012

There are a  lot of comments as to whether this advice is realistic and whether all or some of the advice is in fact good advice ... How about this - just pick ONE thing that you agree with, and where you kinda know you need to make a change in your life - and do that ... and see what happens.

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Bringingeuropehome Jul 17, 2012

This is excellent!

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Elizabeth Varadan Jul 9, 2012

Great list. 

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namaste Jun 18, 2012

This is a great article.  It's a perfect reminder of being mindful.   

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Balzalesto Jun 18, 2012

Brilliant

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MA Jun 1, 2012

Lol. I'm pretty sure the author doesn't care about these comments anyways....cause she is not looking for agreement or trying to impress the readers.  :)

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Petro May 31, 2012

Wow ... just what I needed today. When someone close to you passed away, you know how true these words really are. Ask me. I know. Thank you for sharing it with us.

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Elijah May 29, 2012

Agree with Jk - I do think that the basic ideas are sound, however presenting them from the perspective of what a person "Should Give Up" is certainly coming from an omniscient viewpoint and is not an especially effective sales technique for the process.  Other items like "Giving up the past" might be more useful as "learn from the past", and "Giving up living your life to other people's expectations" - well perhaps there are some people in our lives whose expectations are legitimate.  Sometimes I'd much RATHER go on a cruise with a 25 year old, muscular, wealthy stud than cook, clean, organize, work and listen to my family's problems, but that's part of the deal - GIVE and take. I think Jk said it better though - thanks JK!

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ST May 22, 2012

I believe there are a lot of nay-sayers out there, just waiting to shoot down someone's ideas on how to find happiness!!  There are a lot people in the world who go around depressed and sad, that's all they see, that' s all they live. If this article can help just one of those people find happiness then it is a success!! 

User avatar
Noor a.f May 20, 2012

That is true. It is that God words can bring some good. Please send me some links of text  I have one but didn't open. Time is just running very fast already it is a morning.
I didn't complete some grass I was having and I didn't sleep well yesterday.
every problem has some solutions I believe but sometimes problems pile up. That is why am in this slum..just doing what I feel like and sclerosis is disturbing.

Thank you for the advice

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Angelina1 May 19, 2012
You know life is simple but we all complicate it.  Yes, God is watching us make some messes in our lives and He is watching us do some good. That is why we are gifted among His creations with a brain that has an ego living in it. When we listen too hard to our ego and not enough to our God, that is when we mess up.He is always there, to hear, and to watch our lives unfolding. He gave us the control button to find His Wisdom and use it for better. Gosh, let us all hope we can be humble enough to read God's words, hear God's words, and act out God's message. It is all He can hope for.  He hopes we at least try, but sometimeswe won't try. There is that ego, telling you you aren't good enough. Yes you are. God said so.  I once went through a depressed era in my life  and I was searching to hear God's words of Wisdom. My boss, handed me a small flyer that said "God Does Not Make Junk".  God spoke to me that day and lifted me out of the dark place I thought I was in. We put ourselves... [View Full Comment]
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Noor a.f May 18, 2012

Doing 15 things is not a must. and the dailymistrust you wrote today that goes as far as 2009 is taker more than serious. I really can't even remember what was written. I tell you take those things less than they may look. because I may not man and I should not get hurt what I didn't mean. also am finding very hard to live happy life naturally so please and please don't send me something aimed to cause fear. 

I respect people and if you think I didn't respect you, you can ask where such thing happened and I explain or I apologize. There is nothing in 2009 that can bring me death. What you need to read are the two letters of the two groups. But if you don't get all and you just come for my damned pleasure it can be bad.

That is that and I don't like what causes me fear and unpleasant stories.
Thank you.

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magicdsm May 17, 2012

I'm unable to NOT do something (think about it), so I've written this response, point-by-point: Do 15 Things to Make Your Life Better.  (please go to DeborahMagid at Wordpress dot com to see "Do 15 Things to Make Your Life Better")

User avatar
Joy May 17, 2012

# 16: using the word "should". It's proven to meet resistance...lol

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Noor a.f May 15, 2012
Joanne, they everyday admit craps because they too are craps. that is why they regret after sometime is like driving left.@8424532e564f7c2520f82062fc9a9380:disqus  life is finding happiness and happiness is in common places e.g. workplace, schools, libraries and even in stores. it is how one enjoys environs.Yes, pleasure like me pleasure comes after helping people and sometimes hurting if they ask me and tell me they want to be hurt. In other words I get pleasure when I do what people want. 89% are my innate abilities and only technology is only 8%  overall. And my customers come to beat me when I sleep. There is no week, I am left unbeaten.I remember when a family accused me of burying two humans. I denied.Because my father lost 4 of his sons to graves and another son to mentality.Only me he's got now and am sane because of dr's sperms and tools.My father requested compensation of only one son and promised to forgive the rest.No one paid him as little as one camel and he forgave but... [View Full Comment]
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Patty Hooker (Maher) May 15, 2012

BEST ADVICE I'VE EVER READ

Reply 2 replies: Dg, Bruce
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Joanne May 15, 2012

This is so American. Load of utter 'positive people makes positive lives' fake christian bullshit. 

Put it this way, take 2 for example:Give up complaining. This to me just reads like 'become a walk over'. If we all gave up complaining, nothing great would get done or crap would be accepted. Go into a hairdressers, get a shit haircut for $100. Don't complain because you are a happy, pissed-off with your shit haircut, person who's just been taken for a ride. Give up the luxury of criticism. For a start it's not a luxury. You can be critical if you want. I believe it is a trait that I enjoy. Why? Many people are idiots. It's the truth. If you are in a job and you don't criticise people who do crap work then you'll have an office/workplace full of people who can't do their job.These are basic personality traits of intelligent people. But I guess retards are happier than all of us.

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Jk May 14, 2012

Okay..but is life all about finding happiness? You say life is a route not a destination..seems to me the aim here is to be stuck in a "happy here and now" realm and let the time pass without your participation in its flow...of course some things are true, but no-one can claim all is truth and wisdom. Also, some tips include a certain level of egoism..what about happiness from making others happy - ignored here..giving up the past ok..but shouldn't we learn from past also? Giving up living life to other people expectations - sound ok to a degree..but what is you live your life in a way that hurt and harm others? Very few of us are intrinsically conflict-less with others..shouldn't we also look for compromise between expectations? There is no way we can live in a sterile one-person-bubble-world... everything we do influences others. Maybe finding the right way to co-exist instead of looking for your very own world of your own life would be better?

User avatar
Noor a.f May 13, 2012

I didn't sleep yesterday night and yesterday itself. 30minutes before I closed my eyes a woman called me with strange number and told me same thing a man told me 3 days ago. Two of them came and beat me asleep I dreamed that. Today I took anti-tension and fear tablets so am ok.

So when David wrote short answers I thought there was problem with daily good. It is now am getting his message. Well, here it is not $100 it is cheaper and it is very interesting. I have seen it some places but I prefer formal because those say that are not healthy.

Thanks for the social Entertainments 

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Noor a.f May 13, 2012

@david, what we know is that what I write here is not sarcastic and if it seems is not meant to be. So Davis, What does it mean breathe in/out with 100$/

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Noor a.f May 12, 2012

15things are not useless. When we come to changing entire life, it doesn't change one day or one week perhaps it is a process and it depends how one commits and what causes from Z to A or A to Z. I understand these 15 are very encouraging and real that one needs to live a good and meaningful life. Number 6, Dana, put it easy way where my stupid experience contradicts as it says "give attention to problems."
For attachments as basic human, it is right though I had been to that I only saw contentments, coolness, calmness and feelings that were never true or there. So should I stay contented while I am not.  Your places may be is that but here things are very different and I have to do what I can and leave what I can't. Yes, the 15 are very great. it is self-awareness. thank you all

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David Esrati May 12, 2012

Q: are we there yet?  A: There is no there- only here.
Q: What time is it? A; Now?
Q: Why do you give cryptic answers? A: Why do you ask questions? Breathe in, breathe out.
That will be $100 please.

User avatar
Shanti May 12, 2012

Wow what a great Tips for Happiness.

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ElChaz May 11, 2012

These suggestions, while coming from a place of sincerity, I'm sure, are so glib as to be almost useless. Any person for whom these are true impediments to happiness is asked to do nothing short of change their entire personality. Maybe this is right, but 1300 words and 15 vague aphorisms that all say generally the same thing (If you want to be more happy, just be happy!) are not a serious tool for positive life changes.

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Noor a.f May 11, 2012

@2b7bdc96f65d5ef2f5eaa7b4b78afb14:disqus It is a feeling that is there but it has got no good. Sometimes people stuck in it and can't get out of it. I hate it most. Like when last night a caller took my pleasure, I was in a different feeling 5 hours. trying to know what he talked and how real he could be and how long it can take. 5 hours I didn't know I was thinking one caller's plan. We have to be happy and effective and efficient in life 

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Christina Venter May 11, 2012

Thank you for sharing - I had a wow moment reading this - asked Father God about worshipping Him in unity - He gave me the answer as I was reading your writing. God bless you.

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Anonymous May 11, 2012
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Nermin_tammam May 11, 2012

woooooooooooow...u just made my day..my life...u made a change in perception..thank you is not enough :))

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Arun Chikkop May 11, 2012

Good Article..  Yes, we have to stop living to other people expectation. And giving up on attachment i shard for me to understand too..
Thanks for sharing...

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Amit sinha May 11, 2012

After reading it twice, i feel like to read once more, it is so simple to be happy and if practices well happiness will be forever.excellent articles for those who are pain, just like me. thanks a lot.

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I am in this moment May 10, 2012

15 wonderful points, all pointing in a really healthful direction!  It seems like a lot of overwhelming, hard work but just having the willingness to give these up, to let go, is all that's needed :)
Self-awareness brings you back to the present moment - when I'm convinced I should be somewhere else or shouldn't be feeling how I'm feeling, it helps me to remember that I am exactly where I am meant to be...http://iaminthismoment.com/ 

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Noor a.f May 10, 2012
Articulate oneself. It is very good. I lived this way 8 years ago. What I understood is that when one lives this way is when one has everything but when you need some people's help or support you can't. It can't be enough good to attend workstation with short trouser and a vest. I don't control people or I don't care who is that way or this way. Sometimes in towns I impress people by surprising them and I don't wait to see their judgments because they don't know me but neighbors I do a lot so that they respect me. People who know me call me a very moral person but am not very good because I sometimes tell someones 'I have scar in my ass.' They then feel am very rude not knowing am just playing with their feelings. I do a lot of things for fun but really am very polite. I feel myself when am alone or am with people I trust. This is because a number of people are harmful and if you trust they can hurt you badly.My mood changes every 4 hours depending on who am dealing. One caller can tel... [View Full Comment]
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Susan Zdon May 10, 2012

SZ
Much easier said than done:)  It is okay to feel sad and not be happy too.  This sometimes is part of the process of getting beyond your situation you just can not get stuck there.

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Jhe_arch1 May 10, 2012

Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.  I am forwarding this to as many people as possible.  These are truly the keys to happiness.!

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RP May 10, 2012

Thank you so much for this beautiful article. It sounds so simple and yet we fail to practice it. Yes we all are in charge of our own happiness. I read the quote below long time ago during my teen years which has sat with me all these years and I often remind myself at times when I am frustrated or angry or whenever negative emotions take me over 

"Happiest of the people don't have best of everything; they just make most of everything they have." 

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sandhya.m.s. May 10, 2012

Really wonderful and useful message, but so hard to practice.....  We know life is a journey, but what to do if past moves on leaving unforgettable memories into us...... 
sandhya.m.s.

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Venkataramani May 10, 2012

Very true and it is very very difficult to practice. Anyways, it is better to try and take the 1st step forward. Thanks for opening up. V