6 Toxic Behaviors You Should Avoid at All Costs

One major factor that impacts our lives is our behavior. While good habits can positively enhance your life, certain toxic habits can hurt your mental health and well be. These toxic behaviors are only capable of causing serious harm to you, they drag you down, hold you back and are the cause of your suffering. You may not even realize it, but it, in the long run, it can become highly destructive. They have the power to suck out the very joy and happiness within you. You start noticing it when you see your life filled with stress, anger, and other unwelcome feelings. Freeing yourself from these toxic behaviors will help you avoid all the sadness and help you see the world as a happier space to be in.

Here 6 toxic behaviors which we all do, and must immediately stop:

1. Comparison Yourself with Others – Belittling Yourself

It is important to know that we all are different, and so are our skill sets. There is no point in competing with another because we have different goals and different ways to achieve them. Comparing yourself to others is one of the most toxic behaviors out there that most of us possess. You can’t look at others and weigh your self-worth. Because that way you will never be truly content with your achievements. Life experiences, achievements, and material wealth do not determine how capable a person is; it is the only time that shows excellence, so stop comparing and continue on your journey.

2. Being a Part of the Drama

To be honest, we all do it. Drama can only exist when people are willing to participate in it. Even if you did not start it, but you are barely a part of it, you have participated. Drama causes a lot of emotional stress, mental tension and can cause people getting seriously hurt. When you ignore drama, then not only does it fade away without bothering you, but you are also saving your time and energy. Think before you react to any situation One way to avoid drama is by consciously trying to remain calm and not add to it. The composure you hold determines how things will go about. Stop being a part of the drama, and soon it will become a thing of the past.

3. Negative Thinking

The way you feel about yourself is a significant influence on how others see you. Dwelling in negativity can get you nowhere. All the negative thoughts will lead to negative actions, and sooner or later you will find yourself down, with only bad energy surrounding you. Negative thoughts like you are incapable of doing something or assuming something will turn out badly, even before you start it, can only result in trauma and stress. It leaves you with anxiousness, with a loss of focus on what you want to do. Stop building negative scenarios in your head, and instead focus on your performance.

4. Codependency- Seeking Validation

It’s true that life is not as fun without the people you spend it with. But don’t depend on them for your only source to feel happy. Relying too much on others for joy will put you in a fix when nobody is around. Don’t look for reassurance or validation from others, or you will never find happiness on your own. The habit of pleasing others is a toxic one that most of us have. But this behavior can have negative impacts, like people taking advantage of you due to your insecurity. Stop placing the opinions and comments of others aside for once and validate your work with confidence.

5. Obsession With Perfection

We all want things to be perfect, and there is no harm in striving to do your best at something. But not at the cost of harming your mental peace to attain it. Don’t pursue the goal of perfection for everything you do. Otherwise, you will only end up in frustration and disappointment. To be honest, perfection is only a myth. The idea of how perfect can something be does not apply to everyone. We all have our limitations, and the reality is something that is perfect for one need not be perfect to another. Stop fighting for perfection, and aim at giving the best you can.

6. Not Letting go of the Past – Worrying too much about the future.

Finally, stop living in the past, what’s done is done, and it cannot be changed. Reliving the past only brings pain and sorrow, and can decrease your sense of self-worth. It causes you to believe you are a burden, and you start to regret what has happened. Letting go and learning from your mistakes will only help you feel better about yourself and will allow you to focus on the present. Similarly, the future cannot be foretold. So there is no point in worrying about it and spoiling the present. While it’s good to have goals, dreams, plans for the future, don’t turn that into worries.

These are a few toxic behaviors we all possess. It is important to address them before they lead to long-term complications and unhappiness. Life is an adventure, and you should keep yourself open to new adventures, but always remember to restrict anything that challenges your happiness. Let go of the toxic behaviors, and you will be able to go greater lengths.