You Can Tell Your Life Is Getting Better When You Start Getting Worse At 5 Things
Miljan Zivkovic | Shutterstock When we're on a journey to healing and growing into a better person, people often tell us how beautiful things will be. They tell us we'll be happier and more focused, or that we'll finally live the life of our dreams. But usually, the process is difficult and frustrating.
Things are often messier than we expect. But when we start becoming worse at certain habits or experiences, it only means our life is getting better. And according to life coach and author Hailey Magee, these uncomfortable realities are actually good news.
Life is getting better when you start becoming worse at these things
1. Maintaining relationships based on guilt or obligation
Jair Rangel | Shutterstock
As you begin to heal, you'll find it harder to be in relationships that mentally drain you, especially the ones that you feel obligated to stay in because you feel guilty. But guess what? That's a great thing.
Life is far too short to be wasting it on people who take from you but never give. While letting these people go might not always be easy, if you find yourself wanting to end a relationship or friendship because of your mental health, don't ever feel guilty for it. The people who truly love you will understand, even if it hurts.
2. 'Shape-shifting'
Before you can heal yourself and move forward, you may have found yourself becoming somewhat of an actor. Magee calls this "shape-shifting," where you mold yourself into what other people want you to be.
But as your life gets better, it's difficult to maintain a fake facade, as authenticity is a part of healing. As Magee explained, "It feels harder and harder to betray yourself, and other people's disappointment feels easier to hold than your own inauthenticity."
3. Tolerating disrespect
People who are healed don't tolerate disrespect. Because they have self-respect and an honest understanding of themselves, they can recognize their inherent value. This means they refuse to let others disrespect them in any way, whether it's their strengths or their goals.
If you find yourself having a harder time letting things slide, this only means you're going down the right path and that your life is, in fact, changing for the better. "Instead of trying to convince people to treat you with basic dignity, you start walking away and that's a good thing," Magee revealed.
4. Caring about other people's opinions of you
Ground Picture | Shutterstock
When your life is improving and you feel good about your future, you likely will find yourself ignoring what other people think. If they don't like the way you dress or who you surround yourself with, who cares? You're living your best life and you've never been happier.
Magee added, "If they've never given you a reason to trust or respect them and that's a good thing. Not everyone's opinion of you deserves your mental real estate." And she's right, because nobody has time for rude opinions or comments when they should be focused on their own path forward.
5. How often you vent about the same relationship
Rather than worrying deeply about that same relationship in your life, the one that's toxic or draining, you realize that you get to choose what dynamics you participate in. You don't worry about connections or friendships that left you upset, focusing instead on your own progress.
"Feeling into that agency is really empowering," Magee reassured. When you understand that it's your life and nobody else's, you truly begin to improve your life in ways you may have never thought possible. So, keep going, because although the journey is tough, that's where you learn the most about who you are.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and trending topics.
