8 Things You Need To Quit Today

There are many habits that we develop as we grow, some good, some bad. It is necessary that we recognize the good ones, improve on them, and eradicate the bad ones totally. It might not be easy to get rid of a habit, but there are a few habits that only make your mental health worse. Here are such 8 things you need to quit today and how to do it.

Overthinking

Overthinking is when someone constantly keeps on recalling old events or thinking about future plans and stressing about them. It usually does not end up in doing something productive except bringing you stress and creating anxiety. While overthinking about the things that have already gone by or done will not change them, thinking and stressing about the future will not be helpful either if that stress is not reinforced positively. Overthinking can be stopped by diverting your mind and doing some activity, like puzzles, or memory games that occupy your mind. The book Overthinking by Alexander Parker covers this topic in detail and proposes many solutions to overcome this problem, or at least lessen it.

Fearing Change

Things in this world are constantly changing whether we like them to change or not. Change is inevitable and everyone has to go through it. Many people become way too comfortable in their lives to not let anything change, even if the change is positive that brings about new and better things in their lives. It happens because they might be attached to their schedule, or simply find it difficult to adjust to a new life. Changes can occur in various forms, like a shift in the job, even if it is a proportion, shifting homes, looking for colleges, etc. A simple way to overcome this is by accepting that change will eventually come, and taking it as an adventure. Dan Heath’s book Switch Talks about how to deal with hard changes very well.

Living in The Past

Living in the past is just overthinking and overanalyzing things that have happened in the past. It is when a person refuses to live on with life and continues with the current events happening in life. This could happen due to some emotional or sad event happening in the past, or something that is bothering someone. It takes away the ongoing life and prevents you from enjoying it. A way to stop doing this is to socialize with people, and talking with friends and family, and share your problems. With each day at a time, things can be better. How To Live In The Present Moment, a book by Matt Morris has many tips to live in the present moment.

Trying to Please Everyone

Validation and compliments from other people make us feel pleased and excited about everything. However, it is impossible to keep everyone around you happy always. You are living a life for yourself and pleasing everyone in that process can be difficult and unhappy for you. Sometimes, trying to make everyone happy can lead to you doing something that does not end in a good ending for you, and instead, do more harm than good. The first step to stop doing this is to accept that not everyone is ever going to like you. After that, the process becomes a lot easier.

Being Afraid to Be Different

Once you stop caring about what other people have to say about you, you can eventually start working on yourself. Every individual is disparate and everyone has their own unique traits and qualities. There is no point in trying to act like the crowd as it might not be for everyone. You need to try and make peace with yourself and your personality. Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erickson is a book where he talks about how people that you are surrounded by are not necessarily the things that define you if you do not let them do so.

Thinking You Have No Purpose

Everyone on this planet serves the world in some form or the other. And even if they do not do that, it is okay as our only purpose in life is not to always be of service to someone. Many philosophers during various points in history have written many books and thesis on the purpose of life. If you ever think that you do not have any purpose, try to talk to your friends and the people you love. Listen to positive music, podcasts, etc. The book Ikigai has an elaborate way to understand what life is, and what your purpose in life could be.

Thinking You Are Not Good Enough

Having positive and good thoughts is proven to make you feel happy. There might be times in life when it can be difficult to feel a little happy or have any good thoughts at all. In times like these, it is important to keep reminding yourself that you are a living, breathing person that is loved by many people around you. It is also important to surround yourself with people that do not echo negative thoughts and help you rise above them.

Sacrificing Your Happiness For Others

While human relations with each other are important to sustain, it is more important to limit these relations to an extent and not let people take over your life. No matter how close you are to someone, giving up on things that make you happy for someone is always a bad idea. You are giving up your comfort and joy for someone else’s satisfaction, which never ends in a good way. The best way to stop this is to keep yourself as your first priority.

Also Read: Top 10 Books by Charles Dickens