08 Mar If you’re doing any of these 7 things then STOP; because they’re probably making you unhappy!
via Bustle by Toria Sheffield
We all want to be happy; it's something we talk about, strive for, and sometimes even obsess over. And the irony is, there are often things we do every single day that not only detract from our happiness, but that actively make us unhappy.
Happiness in and of itself isn't necessarily a cut and dry thing. In an article for Psychology Today, psychologist Susan Krauss Whitbourne noted that psychologists often discuss things like life satisfaction, emotional well-being, and fleeting daily feelings when assessing happiness levels in test subjects, but don't necessarily have one, specific definition when defining it.
But that being said, I think we all have a pretty solid internal understanding of when feel good and when we just plain don't, as well as the kinds of things that actively give us satisfaction. It's often a little harder, however, to pin down exactly what makes us feel low or dissatisfied. We might sometimes have a vague feeling of discontent — even when nothing is necessarily going badly — and not know where it's coming from.
It's because of this that I've found it increasingly important to strive for self-awareness; if I'm feeling kind of low, I try to figure out why I'm feeling that way, because maybe there's something I can do to change it. So in the spirit of self-understanding and striving to be the most content versions of ourselves possible, here are seven things you're probably doing that likely are making you unhappy.
1. Spending A Lot Of Time On Social Media
According to a study from the University of Michigan featured on NPR, the use of Facebook and other social media sites actively decreases our overall sense of satisfaction. "When you're on a site like Facebook, you get lots of posts about what people are doing. That sets up social comparison — you maybe feel your life is not as full and rich as those people you see on Facebook," said study co-author, John Jonides. The research also suggests, however, that the cure for this is simply spending more time with social contacts face-to-face or over the phone, as these more traditional modes of communication had an opposite and uplifting effect.
2. Sticking Out A Toxic Work Environment
A recent Danish study found that a heavy workload actually doesn't have a high correlation to job or life satisfaction, but a negative work atmosphere did — especially when subjects felt that they were treated unfairly or were undervalued in their place of employment. And since we spend so many hours of our lives at the office, it makes sense that a toxic work environment can really negatively affect us overall. If your job is negatively affecting your overall sense of well-being, it might be time for a change…
…keep reading the full & original article HERE