· By PYM STORE
How To Be Happy With Yourself
Being situationally happy is easy in comparison to learning how to be happy with yourself. Because we find it too easy to judge ourselves, and to hold ourselves to nearly impossible standards, being able to truly love yourself and find happiness with the person that you are right now is difficult. However, it’s not impossible! With a little guidance and a little patience with yourself, you can learn how to accept yourself and quiet that negative voice in your head. PYM wants to help.
Start From Where You Are
We want you to really listen to us here… there will be no “perfect” time to start. There is never going to be a magical moment when everything aligns and you’re ready to focus on making the changes you need to really be happy with who you are. If you wait for that, you’ll never start.
Nobody likes to do things that may be uncomfortable. Whether that is starting a new gym routine, seeing a therapist for the first time, or changing jobs, even though the outcome is positive the beginning is hard. But being able to take that leap, and being honest about where you are in the process, is a great start.
Take a Look At Who You Are
It can sometimes feel a little difficult and awkward to identify parts of yourself that you’re proud of, because we’re all so programmed to not want to “brag.” However, at least on your own, it can be really helpful to make a list of the things that you like about yourself, the things that really make you unique and set you apart from everyone else.
It might take a little bit of time to step back and identify things about yourself that you like. Take your time, even if that means you randomly write things down as you think of them. Once you get started, it comes more and more easily over time. Don’t be afraid to list the small things, like how shiny your hair is or the color of your eyes. Everything that you really like about yourself is important because it makes you who you are.
If you keep thinking of negative things, turn them into positives! As an example, turn “I’m really stubborn” into “I really stick with it and get things done.” It can really help you turn your thinking around.
Practice Gratitude
Being grateful for everything around you can also naturally make you feel more gratitude toward yourself. A sense of gratitude leads to a more positive outlook on the world. While it may feel forced at first, it becomes unconscious over time. Start with keeping a gratitude journal, or even jotting things down on the notebook app on your phone. Thinking of just one thing at the end of the day that you’re grateful for can start a habit, and make you feel more grateful for everything in your life.
Try saying “thank you” more often as well. Whether that is to your coworker when they bring you a cup of coffee or your child for doing a chore, saying “thank you” not only brightens their day but also boosts your happiness. It can also start a chain of kindness, and inspire other people to be their best as well. Kindness is contagious!
Laugh and Smile More
Whether it comes from telling a cheesy dad joke, watching a comedy special, or just making a commitment to smile more (even if you don’t necessarily feel it at the time), bringing more lightness to your life can also make you feel happier. In fact, studies have even shown that smiling may even be able to trick your brain into thinking that you are happy. It’s almost a way of “faking it” until you make it. If you feel weird about it, try doing it at home by yourself. You don’t have to smile at anyone for it to start to change your life.
Smiling can also lead to a lower heart rate and stress response, and even potentially living a longer life! Something else that can help you lower your stress level is PYM Mood Chews. When you take one during a stressful time, or before you go into what you know will be a stressful event, it can help you feel less overwhelmed on a chemical level. Why not try both?
Accept Your Flaws
Here’s a little secret for you… we all have flaws. Big flaws, little flaws, every single one of us has things that we’re not great at. That’s also what makes us unique and special. Being happy with yourself, and with who you are, always needs to involve getting comfortable with your flaws. Instead of getting mad at yourself, or ignoring them entirely, evaluate them. How can they actually be a positive thing? Even if they can’t, they are still an essential part of the person that you are.
Learning to stop that negative self-talk doesn’t mean that you have to be positive all the time. It just means that you adjust the way that you think about yourself to help boost your own self-confidence. Life is going to be hard enough, don’t make it any harder by being your own worse critic.
Part of accepting your own flaws is forgiving yourself for any of those things that you’ve been holding onto. If you’ve learned a lesson and apologized (if applicable, of course), use that to propel yourself forward into a better past and not stay stuck emotionally in a situation that you can’t change.
In Summary
Learning to be happy with yourself is a skill, but a natural talent. It’s something that you have to develop over time, especially if you know the right tips and tricks to get there. PYM Mood Chews are here for you, helping you to lessen your feelings of stress and anxiety so that you can focus on the things in life that really matter, like truly believing in yourself. We believe in you, and we want you to believe in yourself.
Sources:
Smiling can trick your brain into happiness — and boost your health
Positive thinking: Reduce stress by eliminating negative self-talk