7 Unhelpful Habits Everyone should Quit

Plucking damaging patterns from your life can boost your happiness so you'll really feel like a lucky duck.

- By Zee Krstic

OLD HABIT

COMPARING YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE AROUND YOU

INSTEAD

Think about what makes you special.

Lots of us have a friend who posts perfect craft projects (Nailed it!) or know a fellow parent who never misses a kid's game, but dwelling on where you fall short isn't helpful. By learning to focus on ourselves instead of others, we can decrease our stress and anxiety, increase our happiness and self-esteem, and live a more purposeful and authentic life, says Renee Exelbert, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and an adjunct professor at New York University. She suggests celebrating strengths and victories (even tiny ones!) and doing things that bring you happiness without external validation.

OLD HABIT

SHOULDERING RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVERYTHING

INSTEAD

Delegate—even if it doesn't seem worth it.

Whether you're handling a big project at work or planning a family reunion, it's easy to fall into the trap of doing most of the work to be sure the end result is perfect. We go through life as if we're responsible for every outcome we experience, says Amy Johnson, Ph.D., author of The Little Book of Big Change. We fail to recognize just how much happens effortlessly. Letting other people pick up the slack will lower your stress, and you may be pleasantly surprised with the outcome.