Four Habits That Will Change Your Life✨

I have a confession to make. I have an excess of self-help books in my room, and I've never completed a single one of them. Personally, I feel that sometimes it gets a little too much. I mean most of the time there are just so many strict rules that you have to follow to be "successful", that you end up losing count and just give up altogether. But that's when you realise, the rules those books preach using fancy words are never meant to be rules in the first place, but habits, so here's a list of four concise, easy-to-build habits which are going to immensely raise your potential for success in each and evey field of life.

1. SAY YES/NO MORE OFTEN

Do you think that you're the kind of person who says "yes" to everything because you are afraid of missing an opportunity but then end up having too much on your plate? (I know I am) Well then, try saying NO! for once. I get it, opportunities seem appealing and the thought of letting them slip away seems scary but if you already have too much on your plate, then those opportunities become setbacks. And honestly, if you are afraid of what people might think if you said no to them, then at the end of the day you need to realise, that no matter what you do, people are never going to stop judging so instead of making their flimsy opinions a priority, it's better to take care of yourself first.

On the other hand, if you're the kind of person who falls in the other category, and says "no" to everything, then try saying YES! for once. It isn't that hard, it's actually quite enjoyable once you start doing it. Start with small tasks...a friend asking for your help with homework, say yes if you're not really busy but say no if you are! Once you start getting into the habit of saying yes or no then after some time you'll realize that life just got more interesting.

2. DON'T JUST LISTEN TO SPEAK, LISTEN TO ACTUALLY LISTEN!

Another habit that almost everyone has, is that instead of listening to what the other person is trying to convey to us, we're already formulating a response in our heads and I'm pretty sure most of the teachers in my school can back me up on this :D

Most of the time we're either searching for a response or not paying attention at all! Either way, we are NOT LISTENING while the poor person in front of us is going on about their existential crisis.

Start listening to what the other person is trying to say to you and don't just rush in to give your opinion. Try to understand the other person's problems and solutions from their perspective. Don't focus on pushing your opinion or advice, because most times, people never want advice, just a patient ear to listen.

3.ASK MORE QUESTIONS

We as kids were born with this wonderful ability to ask questions; until school and parents kill it, of course. If you think that asking questions will make people perceive you as dumb, or irritating, then that's their perspective, and honestly, they are going to percieve you as whatever they want regardless of what you do. Everyone has different understanding and learning capabilities and everyone needs their own time to grasp different concepts. And this isn't just meant for academics. You didn't get selected for the basketball team? Ask why! Maybe it was your strength or your stamina or something completely different, but if you'll never ask then you'll never know. Don't just assume things and go along with the flow, all you will end up with is a lot of frustration and endless confusion. In eighth grade, I remember I asked my teachers so many stupid yet important doubts that I'm pretty sure that all of them were starting to get tired of me! But that doesn't matter, if you don't understand something then you have every right to ask your question.

4.STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

For a very long time, I used to think that comfort is the ultimate destination that we need to reach - that one point where we are completely comfortable and at peace with how we spend and divide our time - but I couldn't be more wrong. Comfort is the enemy of hard work and opportunities, it's what stops us from trying out new things and gaining new experiences. It's almost like a synonym of "boring". If you ever get too comfortable in a certain place then that means that you aren't improving and frankly, your life is just as mundane as your eighty-year old neighbour who yells at you every time you increase the volume of the music.

"We first make our habits, and then our habits make us." - John Dryden