A false sense of duty, high expectations, or unnecessary ballast – there are many things that make life difficult for us. Only if we get rid of it and take better care of ourselves can we be happier in the long run.

These 8 tips will make your life easier (and happier):

Tip 1: mucking out frees the soul

Is it difficult for you to part with things? You’re not alone. Numerous current studies show that overcrowded cupboards, shelves, and rooms can be a stress factor.

The good news: You can learn to clean out! Marie Kondo, author of the bestseller “Magic Cleaning – How proper tidying up changes your life,” has many good tips and tricks on how clearing out works better. One of them is: Pick out every item that you are unsure whether you still need it and what it makes you feel. A positive one? Then the object can stay. If you have bad feelings: get rid of it! You will quickly notice: Mucking out not only creates space at home, it also clears up our soul.

Tip 2: avoid energy thieves

Do you know that? After meeting a certain partner, do you generally feel grumpy, depressed, or in a bad mood? Are you perhaps even dreading the next date with this person because they constantly complain, feel sorry for themselves, or complain about others? Then it’s high time to start talking. If nothing changes, you should abandon ship for your own sake. Because a relationship that costs more energy than it brings weakens us in the long term.

Tip 3: time out for you

Household, work, raising children – our everyday life is determined by many things that we don’t always enjoy. How do we still not fall into frustration? By taking regular time off for ourselves. What they look like is entirely up to us: It can be a “just-for-me-hour” in a reading chair with a good book, a long walk, a shopping tour, a coffee with your best friend, or a massage. What we like is allowed – and what feels like reward and relaxation for us.

Tip 4: the art of saying no

Saying ‘yes’ forever makes you dissatisfied and lowers self-esteem because it conveys that other people’s needs outweigh our own. Stop it! Saying no is not a shame, and no one is going to like you less if you don’t always say yes to everything. And you will also notice how good it is for you to pay more attention to your own needs in this way.

Tip 5: do what you enjoy

Admittedly, not everyone has the opportunity to turn their hobby or passion into a profession. But: If you are regularly frustrated, tense, or in a bad mood in the morning when you think about the upcoming work day, it is time to change something. Because if we have worked for decades in a job that makes us so dissatisfied, we get unhappy and sick more quickly. So don’t be afraid to make an appointment with a job counselling service or discover suitable workshops or trade fairs where you can get to know new professional fields. It’s never too late for a change!

Tip 6: Bye, you worries

Money problems, fears about the future, or quarrels in the family – a solution cannot always be found immediately for all of our worries and problems. But there is a way we can relieve our soul anyway: with a worry diary. If we write down our fears and needs every day, it not only feels liberating, but we can also completely rearrange our thoughts, find solutions and achieve greater well-being. This positive effect has been proven in several studies. If that’s too negative for you, try self-motivation books such as the “6-Minute Diary” (Dominik Spenst). This will help you free yourself from old thought patterns to put your life on a happy course.

Tip 7: Have to do less

We have to be athletic, eat only healthy food, be successful at work, be a good spouse and a good family manager – at least that’s what we think. Most people forget that all this can hardly be achieved at once when they are completely stressed and emulate the ideal images in their heads. We live more relaxed when we free ourselves from our own expectations from time to time and sometimes “let it be five.” Specifically: Small nutritional sins are allowed, we can skip the sports program, and our family forgives us if we don’t give it 100 percent. Because we are only humans – and not robots.

Tip 8: The love of money

Money doesn’t make you happy – but dealing with it correctly does. Because if you ask yourself every month where your money has gone, something is going wrong. A budget book can help, which you can also create digitally on your smartphone or computer. This may sound conservative and outdated to many – but it quickly gives you information about where your money really is and where you can save. The best reward for your efforts is to buy yourself something nice at the end of the month.

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If you are looking for external help with mental health, we invite you to look through profiles of healthcare providers here, or to post a job on Medihelp247.

The benefits of our site are that you can arrange your own terms directly with the healthcare provider, especially if you are looking for regular online help. Not to mention, our site is completely free for all to use.

Written by: Bryan Lim