If You Feel Miserable In Life, These 2 Habits Are Probably The Main Reasons
Feeling stuck in misery often comes to just two things.
Will Romano | Pexels Life can be challenging for many of us. After a busy time, suddenly things might quiet down. If you are highly sensitive like me, you know that we can sense and interpret this kind of situation in two different ways.
One makes us feel positive that we can use this time to slow down and relax. The other awakens the monster or demon within us who thinks things are "too" quiet, something is "wrong", we are "not good enough".
That is what gave me food for thought about what exactly brings us out of balance. What exactly is at the core of our feelings of unhappiness and unfulfillment? How do you learn how to be happy and successful when you're feeling this way all the time?
If you feel miserable in life, these two habits are probably the main reasons:
1. Self-doubt
To quote writer Christian Nestell Bovee, "Doubt whom you will, but never yourself." I have been an entrepreneur my whole life, and there is one thing many of us have in common when it comes to being successful and feeling unfulfilled at the same time.
Self-doubt can be a demon or a monster that we need to face daily. It is ingrained in our education and society. There is a real fear of not being good enough linked to depression. This can often originate from a dysfunctional family role in the family of origin, according to a 2021 study.
We doubt our worthiness and our strengths. We are so sensitive to what other people say and think about us that we quickly assume we are not good enough.
If only we could see our inner power and strength and feel worthy of just being our true selves. If only we could start living from the inside outward. Only then can we step into our authenticity and share our unique voice with the world. That is when joy, confidence, and freedom creep back into our lives.
2. Self-sacrifice
iona didishvili via Shutterstock
“Don't live your life to please other people," said Oprah Winfrey.
For years, I used to think that I needed to save, please, and help everybody around me, and put others first before my own well-being.
Today, I know that self-sacrifice is not the way to real success. It is the way to burnout and disease. We can be highly successful as deeply caring leaders and professionals without sacrificing our own well-being in the process.
“Self-care and self-love are not selfish; they are our birthright.” This quote of mine means that no self-sacrifice is asked of you to be highly successful. It is clear that you need to honor and care for yourself first, or there will be nothing left to shine with in this world.
Serving out of self-sacrifice is not an example to give to others and certainly not a way to experience true freedom and personal power.
Deeply caring individuals need to take good care of themselves to protect their energy and shine from within.
Isn’t that what gets you back on track and gives you the most joy? Self-doubt and self-sacrifice are dangerous and self-destructive. I see in my practice daily serious successful people on the outside who are suffering and feel something is missing on the inside. Their success is costing them dearly, and it does not have to be that way.
What about you? Is your success costing you? If you answer "yes", then I suggest you go and have a look within and see what the main reason is. Is it self-doubt or is it self-sacrifice? Or is it both?
Danielle Sax is an internationally recognized speaker, author, and wealth mentor.
