10 Things To Let Go Of To Be Happy In Life

Are you on a mission to declutter your life and create a healthier mental space? Here is a list of 10 crucial things to let go of to be happy in life. 

About two years back, when things were on the verge of panic and the world was changing, I was forced to reassess my life and the choices I was living by.

It was eye-opening, scary, and outright terrifying – all these new revelations that I didn’t know what to do with.

When our priorities shift and we gain a new perception of life, our ability to see clearly rises to the top.

What mattered yesterday seems insignificant compared to the lessons of today.

And just like that, we become ready to let go of things that hold us back from being truly happy.

Something similar happened to my past self. With my eyes wide open to my reality, I set out on a major detox spree.

The goal was simple, yet unfamiliar – Get rid of everything that makes me unhappy or adds no value to my life.

I am proud to share that I was successful in my mission, and honestly, life has never been better.

There are still challenges, obstacles, and situations I can’t control. But the absence of toxic habits makes everything lighter and easier.

Dear reader, this post is all about things you need to let go of to be happy.

If you are ready to meet a healthier version of yourself, read on.

10 Things To Let Go Of To Be Happy

1. Self-Loathing

In her new song ‘Antihero’, Taylor Swift dives deep into the feelings of self-loathing and doubts.

Her lyrics are relatable, her words speak to the commoners and touch a spot in their hearts (seriously, I love that woman to death.)

Though on a serious note, can you imagine resenting the one person you have to spend every waking and sleeping hour of your life with? I know, me neither! Yet we do it all the time, duh.

It’s me, hi! I’m the problem it’s me. 

Hating yourself is toxic, disrespectful to those who love you, and is a habit that needs to be cut out of your life.

Jam to the songs of Taylor Swift, but take away a key lesson from her: self-loathing might be relatable, but you are more than capable of shaking it off.

Besides, if nobody has told you this lately, let me do the honors of saying that I like you, a whole lot. And I’ll be displeased if you’re not treating yourself well.

Say cheers to self-love and be kind to yourself.

2. A Toxic Friend Circle

It’s a sign of strength to have healthy mental boundaries, but there shouldn’t be a need to activate this skill in front of your friends.

Yet, if you feel the urge to protect yourself from your friends, you might want to reassess the company you keep.

Do you constantly feel judged by your friends? Do any of them make you feel little? And do their main values in life align with yours?

These are some questions worth pondering if you are looking for things to let go to be happy.

Your social circle should uplift you and motivate you to be better. There should be no place for passive aggression, backhanded compliments, and snide remarks.

In a healthy social circle, you feel valued and cherished. So, make sure yours checks all the boxes, and if there are any red flags, safely detach yourself.

Never be afraid to pick yourself over others who disturb your mental health. It’s not selfish; it’s self-protection and wisdom.

3. Depending On Others For Happiness

Here’s a gentle reminder for all my self-doubting readers – you don’t need anybody else to make you happy.

You are capable of seeking joy from within; it’s just a matter of learning how to do so and deprogramming the part of you that depends on others to be happy.

For self-dependence, nurture a mindset that helps you create a fine balance between your social and personal life.

Look forward to hanging out with your people, but be equally enthusiastic about going on solo dates.

Enjoy your time with friends, but don’t expect them to fill your cup of joy.

Keep in mind that there is a huge difference between socializing and outright relying on people for joy. The former is a healthy and normal part of life, while the latter makes you needy.

To be truly happy in life, it’s crucial to draw a line between the two and become emotionally self-sufficient.

4. Toxic Things To Let Go Of – Past Relationships

You think about your ex, and you do it more than you’d like to admit.

It doesn’t matter if that person is out of your life or still around the corner somewhere, their thought never leaves your mind.

It can make the process of moving on quite difficult. Not to mention it takes up space in your mind which could be used to store better thoughts.

This habit can also suck at your energy, hinder your self-growth, and cause troubles in your current relationship.

Check Out: 10 Classy Benefits Of Being Single

I know logically, it makes no sense to linger in your past relationships, but the heart wants what it wants.

Well, guess what? Your brain is no joke either, and what it needs is for you to put your feelings to rest.

Actively work on discarding your ex from your system. Write unsent letters to express your unsaid emotions, embrace self-love and dive deep into the throes of self-care.

5. Wrong Order Of Priorities

Five years back, had you met me, you’d have seen I was crazy about my studies.

School was my life, and I had zero time for self-care. I’d built that schedule by choice, content to be driven by my need to do well in academics.

Loads of love for my past self; I don’t know how she managed all that. But my current self loves the life I’ve built.

I am closer to my family now and have a better grasp of how to handle my low moments (which is a huge personal win.)

If you don’t have a correct order of priorities, build a list now. Assess the area of life you spend your maximum energy in and ask yourself whether it makes you happy.

Are you sure you want to put your career at the top? Or could your mental health take that coveted first spot and actually add to your self-growth?

You know your answers. So, make use of this self-awareness to straighten out your priorities, and then build a routine accordingly to manifest your new realizations.

6. Let Go Of Your Obessesion With An Ideal Body Form

In today’s time, the awareness of health and wellness is rising high, and for good reason. For a content life, you should strive for healthy living.

But your reasons for the same shouldn’t include wanting to fit into an ideal body form, a mindset that can be obsessive and draining.

Your body is a gift from God and is literally unique in the entire world.

How can there ever be a set body standard in which all humans in varied forms are supposed to fit? Yet people blindly pursue this concept.

Related: 120 Positive Health Affirmations

You might spend your entire life chasing an imaginary body form, always out of your reach but luring you to push yourself mentally.

To put it bluntly, there is no such thing as an ‘ideal body’. But you can have an ideal body image, and it’s beautiful both in theory and practice.

A person with a healthy body image knows the value of good health but doesn’t confine themselves to society’s hollow standards of beauty. Aim to follow this mentality, and you’ll be happier in life.

7. Being A People Pleaser

Has anyone ever told you that you’re too nice? Do you have trouble saying no, and do people often take advantage of your good nature?

I’ve known such people personally and watched them trying to appease people but never getting anything in return.

No, it is not a bad thing to want to make others happy, but this shouldn’t come at the cost of your self-worth.

Don’t try to please an authoritative person (such as a boss or a teacher).

I’ve done this in the past and it never brought me contentment. If anything, it made me lose touch with my true self.

Your time and energy are of value. Spend them on people who matter to you and are capable of reciprocating your affection on an equal level.

This sets a healthy bar for your dignity and will actually make people respect you more.

8. Things To Let Go Of Right Now – Feelings Of Underlying Resentment

Resentment is a feeling of having been wronged by someone.

It can be a heavy emotion to carry and is toxic for your mental health. Since it’s one of the less obvious feelings, its presence can be hard to detect.

If you have underlying resentment toward someone, you’d probably be uncomfortable in their presence.

Even if they do something right, you won’t let yourself warm up to their actions because of your grudge against the.

This is harmful for several reasons. Resentment keeps you stuck in the past and can cause trust issues.

The other person might be oblivious to what you are going through, and this could deepen your resentment toward them.

To be happy in life, let go of these negative feelings. They have no business ruining your peace.

If the other person is a friend, talk to them about it. Share your thoughts on how you felt wronged by them, and try to understand their side of things.

Going forward in the future, try not to take things personally. It’ll make life easier for you.

9. Let Go Of Your Impulsiveness

It can be fun to be spontaneous sometimes, but if this becomes a habit, we call it rashness.

You might not even realize it, but being impulsive regarding small decisions can have a big impact on the course of your life.

By repeatedly making rash decisions, you inadvertently set yourself up for mistakes.

With your thinking skills on the sidelines, you might end up making poor choices. Needless to say, it’s a behavior you need to quit ASAP.

Hone your decision-making skills by using them every day.

Be mindful of your budget and needs while you’re out shopping, think twice before saying yes to an event, and take your time before you make any life-changing decisions.

Also, learn how to stay calm in the face of the unexpected. It will keep you on track with logic and help avoid thoughtless decisions.

10. Lying When You Don’t Need To

Look, we don’t live in a perfect world.

There are times when we end up lying to the people who we care about because the truth might be uncomfortable to deal with. This is what you’d call lying for the greater good.

But I always discourage myself and those around me to avoid telling small lies.

It can be tempting to make up excuses to get out of a plan you regret saying yes to, but I swear saying the truth is always the better alternative.

It’s true that the other person would let you off the hook if you lie about being sick, and what they won’t know can’t hurt them.

But what about you? You’d be aware of having told an unnecessary lie. And it’s a feeling that can be discomfiting as well as guilt-inducing.

So, for ultimate happiness, make the choice to omit small lies. If possible, don’t lie ever. A few years down the road, you’ll thank yourself for this habit.

What To Do In Life To Be Happy

There are countless ways for you to access happiness. You don’t need much to satisfy a healthy inner child; it’s content to seek joy from little things in life.

But your higher self is a different story altogether. It lives off of wisdom and nourishment. Even subtle toxic things in your life don’t escape its notice.

Highly recommended: 10 Strong Habits Of Self-Love

It’s good to pursue happiness and aim for success. But it’s equally vital to recognize the junk in your system and flush it out.

It might require some effort in the beginning, but once you manifest the idea of letting go, you won’t have it any other way.

Let Go Of Everything That Disturbs Your Peace

You are one of a kind and you deserve every ounce of happiness.

Anything that hinders your wellness needs to go. This includes self-loathing, an unhealthy group of friends, and depending on others to be happy.

Any lingering thoughts of your exes also need to be worked through.

If your priorities are tilted, straighten them out. Don’t run after an ideal body form; it’s consuming and draining.

Stop trying to please people, because it gives you nothing in return. Let go of resentment, impulsiveness, and the habit of lying about small things.

Do all this, and your pursuit of happiness will be simplified tenfold.

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