Unhappiness spills over into every facet of a man’s life and negatively impacts their relationships, careers, and health.
In fact, studies reveal that being unhappy can lead to depression, anger issues, isolation, and ill health, including early death.
Sounds ominous, doesn’t it, guys? Luckily, happiness is a choice we can make every day that can become habitual.
Every man desires and deserves joy and fulfillment. Here are ten habits that can help you achieve that.
1) They pursue their goals
Men who are the happiest pursue what’s important to them and make the effort every day to stay on track.
Commit to focus on your priorities and don’t be afraid to say “no” to anything that could make you stray from your chosen path.
Whenever you make a principle-driven decision and stick to it, your self-esteem gets a boost and you’re happier as a result.
2) They understand that slow and steady wins the race
Happy and successful men know that achieving their goals is a process, not an event.
The happiest men have a deep need for self-fulfillment and to make progress in that direction. Men are spurred on when they believe and know they have the ability to control their future.
A sense of self-reliance is developed by adopting a growth mindset. You understand that incremental gain interspersed with the occasional breakthrough is the way to reach your goal.
Every milestone of your progress should be acknowledged as bringing you one step closer to realizing your dreams. Be it big or small, any event that inches you closer to the finish line is worth celebrating.
This cycle of work and reward offers you the motivation and encouragement to keep you on the path and moving forward.
3) They are intentional with their decisions
If you want personal fulfillment, take ownership of your own story. When you make decisions that reflect your principles as well as your goals, you’ll be happy to own the outcomes.
But the moral of the story is that it’s all on you to create your best life. The only person holding you back is you.
Fortunately, you’re more capable than you’re probably aware of. It’s completely up to you to orchestrate your life, and you have the power to use every tool available to achieve happiness and fulfillment.
4) They pick their battles
I admit it. I’m blessed with strong opinions on pretty much everything. Luckily, I’m also equipped to recognize and understand multiple perspectives on many topics.
This means it’s easy for me to play the role of devil’s advocate and I’ve often done so with relish. This makes me pretty unpopular at times.
But as I’ve gotten older, my tune has changed a bit. You don’t need to attend every pointless argument you’re invited to.
It’s OK to let other people be who they are. Picking your battles is essential for your emotional well-being.
5) They don’t hold grudges
Forgiveness is a true superpower. The power to genuinely forgive someone who’s wronged you bespeaks a level of enlightenment and self-awareness we should all aspire to.
Content men know that forgiving someone doesn’t mean that it’s fine that they hurt you or that you have to welcome them back into your life. It just means that you’re no longer willing to expend the emotional energy to relive that trauma repeatedly in your head.
Instead, you’ve chosen to let it go and refuse to wallow in the depths of despair and depression.
And, don’t forget that all of this includes forgiving yourself.
The happiest men accept their shortcomings and the fact that they aren’t perfect. The road to fulfillment includes a lot less self-flagellation and a lot more emphasis on self-improvement.
Forgiveness enables you to move on, move up, and be a better man, which is why we’re all gathered here today in the first place, right?
6) They embrace their flaws
Your weaknesses are just as much a part of you as your strengths. We are all a big smorgasbord of good, bad, and indifferent traits, all of which make us who we are.
Freely admitting your flaws makes you relatable and puts others at ease. So it also facilitates connecting with other people.
You’re also less apt to take offense if someone points out your flaws when you’ve long since accepted what they are.
Being aware of your shortcomings keeps you grounded and open to opportunities for further personal growth.
7) They chose quality over quantity
To find happiness and fulfillment, it’s important to continuously add value to your life in any way you can. And this applies across the board.
Look at your social circle. Would you rather have hundreds of casual acquaintances or a few ride-or-die friends that you can always count on?
In every area of your life, choose quality over quantity. You’ll never regret it.
8) They practice gratitude
The happiest and most fulfilled men almost always practice gratitude every day.
By consistently accentuating the positive, you can rewire your brain and draw all the good things to you.
Like attracts like, after all.
Research suggests that even small gains in showing gratitude can have a ripple effect of positivity. Some of these bonuses include better physical health, improved sleep patterns, and better mood regulation.
9) They live in the now
The happiest men are those who can experience and appreciate the moment while they are living it.
Guys who spend too much time ruminating on the past unsurprisingly have the most regrets.
The most fulfilled men are fully immersed in the now, understanding that’s all any of us really have. The past is gone and the future’s not promised, so they live the hell out of today.
10) They love their job or they find a new one
My Dad always said, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life” and as a writer who always wanted to be a writer, I would say he was right.
Even if your job low-key sucks there’s usually something you can find to like about it, like your coworkers or the paycheck.
But if even that’s not enough to eliminate the suck factor, you may want to rethink your career path.
Happy men know that we spend far too much time at work to be miserable every second we’re there. It’s bad for your health, both physically and mentally.
So they’ll look for a situation more attuned to their own style and needs. It might be a pain but very fulfilling in the long run, and that’s the end goal.
Final thoughts
A lot of personal happiness hinges on making the most of what you’ve got and being grateful for it.
If you cultivate habits that reinforce positivity and provide motivation, you’re well on your way to becoming a happy and fulfilled man.
