Lighten Up! 5 Signs You’re Taking Life Too Seriously

When I first learned about the Law of Attraction, it took me some time to lighten up.   I had lived for almost 30 years believing that life was serious and that all of my decisions and actions were very, very important.  However, when you’re taking life too seriously, life becomes hard and dreary.  Spending every day of your life believing the stakes are high just makes it too hard to trust the journey and allow good things to come.

It might have taken me awhile to lighten up, but that’s ok.  Though I’ve come a long way, I’ve come to learn that lightening up is a process that never really ends.  While many days I consciously choose to take the path of least resistance, I still have others were I allow worry and control to seep back in. 

The truth is, we always have room to grow.  Becoming more “enLIGHTENED” is an ongoing process that never ends.  Each day we simply take steps that either bring us closer into alignment, or we take those that don’t, and we choose which direction we are stepping in every single second of every single day.

With that being said, here are a few signs that you might be taking life too seriously (and a few suggestions on how to remedy them!).   For many of us, these are well-established behaviors that take a little bit of practice to change-but the good news is that every time we chose to lighten up, we become happier and more prosperous.

5 Signs You’re Taking Life Too Seriously:

1. You’re working too hard: 

I blame society for this one, as from the time we are young we hear people praise them merits of “hard work.” 

However, life doesn’t have to be hard, and neither does work.  While a little bit of challenge can be fun and rewarding, too much work causes fatigue and irritation, both of which are lower vibrational emotions that attract unwanted events and circumstances. 

You always have the option to step away from your work for a few minutes when you are feeling overwhelmed-please make sure you do!

2. You aren’t getting enough sleep: 

Lack of sleep is a clear sign of anxiety and worry.  When we can’t turn off the thoughts, they keep us up at night.   

It’s good to remember that when we focus on our problems, we only get more problems, so learning how to release ourselves from the bondage of negative thinking is of paramount importance. 

If you are suffering from lack of sleep, I strongly suggest incorporating meditation into your daily routine.  In meditation, we learn how to release these worrisome, “serious,” thoughts that have the power to keep us up at night.

If you’d like some meditation options, check out this page on my website: “Alternatives to Regular Old Meditation.” 

Members can also view this video tutorial on the member website “Meditation 101:  Mindfulness and the Law of Attraction.” 

3. Fights and arguments have become commonplace: 

Have you ever noticed that the unhappiest people in your life are also the people who have to be right all the time? 

The thing is, we are all different and we each see the world from a unique perspective.  Even if someone else is dead wrong in my opinion, this doesn’t mean that his or her beliefs or actions aren’t valid from another perspective.  My perspective may be very important to me, but that doesn’t mean it is superior!

So let your beliefs guide your personal behaviors and choices, but allow other people to do the same.  There’s nothing wrong with asserting your opinion and sharing your side of the story, but sometimes it’s just best to agree to disagree!   

When we try to make everyone agree with our perspective, we are simply holding on too hard, and this only makes us unhappy.  Ultimately, the only thoughts and actions we have any control over are our own.

4. You’re making decisions based on what other people think: 

We’re all interconnected, and so it would probably be impossible to avoid making any decisions based on other people’s thoughts and beliefs.  However, it’s important to remember that this life is yours, and yours alone.

When we worry too much about what other people think, we become distracted from our most important goal, which is to walk the path that is best for us. There’s nothing wrong with asking for a little advice here and there, but ultimately your decisions are best made by you, because you are the only one who truly knows what makes you happy.   

If you want to be happy, you have to be willing to listen to yourself first and foremost.  Taking other people’s opinions too seriously is a one-way ticket to living an unfulfilling life.

To learn how to let go of other people’s opinions, practice breaking away from the herd here and there.  Be willing to dress a little differently if you want to, try out a hobby that’s unusual, or state an unpopular opinion.  Breaking away from the mold a little bit will help you learn that everything will still be ok, even if you aren’t acting the way people expect you to.

5.  You’re sticking with something that clearly isn’t making you happy: 

Oftentimes, we let feelings of “responsibility” or “duty” take over, and we forge ahead with circumstances and events we should perhaps let go of.  For example, many people feel the pressure to stay in a an unfulfilling career or the need to hang in there with a friendship that has become fake or toxic.

However, if we aren’t enjoying an aspect of our life, there’s a reason for it.  Our bad feelings are meant to show us when we are moving in a counterproductive direction.  When we put up with our bad feelings, we simply keep moving in the “wrong” direction. 

So, if things aren’t going your way, here’s a quick plan of action:

Before letting go of something that isn’t making you happy, first take a stab at handling it in a positive manner.  Avoid complaining about it, give it positive attention, and do your part to see the glass as half-full.   Make sure you give it a fair shot.

Oftentimes, this is enough to turn a bad situation around.  However, if the bad feelings keep coming, take it as a sign that this person, thing or situation no longer serves you, and that it’s time to let it go.  Sometimes the path of least resistance is simply to move on, and trust that better things are ahead of you.

Remember, in this life there’s really nothing you need to do, be or have-it’s all about preference.  Our choices really aren’t that serious.  After all, 100 years from now will it even matter? 

All we really have is this journey we are on.  Regardless of the things we achieve and experience, the only thing that matters is whether or not we’re having fun on this ride called life.  When we work too hard, lose sleep, fight, worry about other people’s opinions and hold on to things that no longer serve us, we squander the opportunity we have right now to enjoy the ride.

So cut yourself (and others) some slack!  Life can be a lot easier and more fulfilling when we just let go and lighten up.

Thanks for reading!

Andrea

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