Living a fulfilled life is what everybody usually strive for as we reckon that you cannot do anything about aging.
From the wrinkles on the face and the grey hair, we are faced with reality and the fear of not spending our latter days in glory is what worries many.
It is important to note that people who are unhappy in their old age adopt certain habits when they are young or in their prime.
This is to say that if we want to live a certain quality of life, we ought to adopt certain habits and we have to live by them daily.
Some of the bad habits you must put a stop to if you don’t want to be unhappy in your old age are explained below.
Ignoring Your Physical Health
When you are young, you tend to downplay or take for granted your health because, at that age, you are fit and rely on exuberance to do everything.
The disregard for workouts whilst eating unhealthy foods, and inadequate sleep can destroy your body and health in the long run so re-evaluate these habits and make some decisions.
The effect of these bad daily habits is certain health conditions that will deny you happiness when you are on your pension or retirement days.
Take note that the idea is not to completely stay away from consuming your favourite snacks or becoming a fitness enthusiast but to do things in moderation or measure in your consumption.
You are what you eat therefore the decisions you make today can adversely affect the quality of life tomorrow.
If you love and value your body and health you will certainly treat it with the respect it deserves.
Ignoring Your Mental Health
Whilst our physical health is ignored our mental health is not prioritized.
We lose cognizance of the fact that our happiness is also shaped by the stability of our mental health. Neglecting to mental health can cause conditions such as chronic stress, anxiety disorders, loneliness, depression and even low self-esteem.
When our mental health is staggering, it affects our physical health and interactions with others so it is very crucial to make your mental well-being your concern.
Your mental well-being could be enhanced by consulting a professional, getting enough rest or sleep and doing activities to refresh yourself and your mind.
Note that caring for your mental health is not an indication that you are weak, it is purely a case of loving yourself and value.
Keeping Grudges
Anytime the word grudges is mentioned, we are talking about bitterness.
It is that long feeling of dissatisfaction even after a dispute has ended. It is that feeling you have any time the thought of a particular person or situation comes up in your head.
When you hold on to grudges what you are doing basically is carrying a heavy load on your back which weighs you down physically and drains you mentally and emotionally thereby affecting your ability to reach your goals.
Know that you are the one who suffers the most when you begrudge someone especially when the person who has issues is not really the cause of your problems.
Being resentful can cause chronic stress and is a catalyst for unhappiness in your old age.
Find something else to do other than being resentful and harnessing your grudges as it may lead to severe mental health issues.
Keeping Away From Confrontation
Keeping things to yourself when dealing with people especially after they have wronged you is not the best way to solve your problems as it rather makes you unhappy more.
Avoiding challenging confrontations or conversations can build up bitterness or resentment in you and if left unresolved or uncatered for will take away your happiness and leave the rest of your life of dissatisfaction.
Instead of avoiding confrontation, we do not share our feelings and worries with the person in a respectful manner as the most important thing here is about standing up for yourself when it matters.
Not Living The Moment
Some people are living the life but they are not actually experiencing life.
While routines are part of our daily lives, sometimes, when you put your life on autopilot can create some emptiness and live with regrets as you grow.
What this robs you of is that it robs you of the opportunities to see the brighter side of things and get the fulfilment of personal growth.
Live in the moment and be present at every point especially whatever you find yourself doing.
Putting work first over everything else
Due to the hard economic times and the quest to put our heads above water, we tend to prioritize our work because it is our source of income.
However, the need to make money in order to provide for our needs can derail us from taking care of our mental health and other aspects of our lives.
We have read tales of people who are very successful and attained the highest in their careers but find themselves alone. This is because, besides work, they did not put effort and time into building relationships and taking care of their body or health so many look out of shape.
You will do well to find a balance between your work and other aspect of your life because they are equally important.
Lack of Boundaries
This is when you allow everything to slide and relegate your personal beliefs and values in life.
It often can reflect in your inability to say no to a request when you know your commitment to that request will suffocate you in the process or in the long run.
The people you are trying to please will be happy but you will left drained and sad.
Not Showing Gratitude
Not expressing gratitude is a great thief of happiness. We often downplay our achievements especially when they are little and don’t see the blessings we are enjoying already.
We are not satisfied with things we have been able to do but learning to appreciate your hustles is a habit you must cultivate if you want to be happy in your old age.
