As the new year approaches, we’re all setting intentions for a happier and healthier 2022, but achieving happiness looks different for everyone, depending on your lifestyle, preferences, and stage in life. Nonetheless, there are a few myths about happiness that can hold us all back from joy, no matter who we are. Here are the top five happiness myths and how you can let them go for a more joyous 2022.
You should be happy all the time
Although we would all love to be happy all the time, it’s simply not realistic. Additionally, not letting yourself feel the full range of human emotions in an attempt to achieve happiness is actually counterproductive. It’s completely normal to also experience sadness, anger, jealousy, and loneliness. Embracing and accepting these “negative” emotions will allow you to address why you may be experiencing them and appreciate happiness more deeply.
Happiness comes from external factors
A job, hobby, spouse, or money alone will never make you a happy person. Although all of these may contribute to happiness, ultimately, happiness is an internal state and must come from inner balance and confidence, not external factors.
You can’t experience happiness during challenging times
Being happy does not mean everything is going right in your life. Likewise, experiencing setbacks and challenges does not mean you cannot be happy while addressing them. Rather, finding joy even when times are tough is one of the strongest indicators of true happiness. If you’re having a hard time with this, keeping a gratitude journal can help remind you of the good in the world, even when things are bad.
An unhappy past stands in the way of a happy future
Many people use past unhappiness to explain and excuse current dissatisfaction with life, but humans are far more adaptable than we give ourselves credit for. Accepting, processing, and moving beyond unhappiness in your past can actually help make you even happier in the present and future. Look how far you’ve come!
Happiness is not changeable
We often think of happiness as something we have or not depending on our situation, but in reality, happiness is far more malleable and nuanced than that. There is a wide range of happiness we can feel and changing our habits, lifestyle, and mindset can make a big difference in how we experience joy.
