Three Ways We Sabotage Our Happiness in the Moment
Imagine that right now, in this moment, life is good. You’re not in pain or discomfort. There are no immediate crises, problems, or dangers. So you take a deep breath and smile.
But then it hits you. . . Winter’s just around the corner! It’s going to get cold. There will be snow and ice and bad roads. The days will be short with long stretches of darkness. You’re concerned about the price of natural gas this winter. Will it be expensive to heat your home?
And you remember that your mom has a doctor’s appointment next week. Will they find anything wrong? Will her blood pressure be OK? What about that pain in her leg?
And then you remember how last year, you had such a frustrating time with a doctor’s bill of your own. They overcharged you and didn’t file the right paperwork so your insurance was refusing to pay it. It took several phone calls and hours of your time to sort it out. And in the end, you still felt you paid more than was fair.
These are just a few examples of how we sabotage our own happiness. Even when things are good, our mind can easily find something negative to think about and put a shadow over our happiness. Common ways we do this are –
- Worrying about some future event or situation
- Remembering and dwelling on a past frustration or drama
- Thinking that things are too good to be true and wondering what bad thing is going to happen
This week, try to get better at noticing your thoughts and catch yourself sabotaging your happiness. Then refocus on the peace and goodness in the current moment and enjoy.
