We go through life in pursuit of meaning and happiness, trying and buying one thing after another in hopes that these things will give us the long-lasting happiness we all yearn to achieve. After all, isn’t that what Aristotle said life is all about? “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” Yet, many people struggle with finding it.

You see, our lives are the sum of our habits. How healthy, happy, and successful we are today is a result of the things we do and think about every day. If you grew up to be someone who complains all the time, you’ve trained yourself to always focus on the negative side of things. More negative habits like this can collectively have adverse effects on your growth as a person. They are the reasons why you can never be truly happy no matter what you do, and they must be gotten rid of ASAP.

Unfortunately, breaking bad habits is no easy feat. Just like how alcoholics and heavy smokers can’t simply decide they want to quit drinking and smoking one day then instantly overcome their addiction, breaking bad habits is a long and hard process that requires strong self-control and willpower–but think of the liberating feeling you can finally enjoy once you let go of the things holding you down all along!

The first step to breaking a bad habit is accepting it, and to accept it, you have to acknowledge it. Here are 10 toxic habits you might be doing and have to put an end to.

The Road To A Happier, Healthier You: 10 Toxic Habits You Need To Break

1. Sweating The Small Stuff

Stop worrying about things you can’t change. And if it’s something you have control over, do something about it. Seth J. Gillihan Ph.D., a professor in Psychology, says “worry isn’t worth what it can cost—tension, poor sleep, irritability, fatigue, problems concentrating, and general unhappiness. After all, most of what we worry about never happens.”

2. Wasting Unhealthy Amounts of Time Watching TV Shows

…and just about every other unproductive thing you do for hours on end. Don’t get too caught up that you start to compromise time that could’ve been spent on the things that actually matter and the things that would contribute to your growth as a person.

3. Wasting Time on Toxic People

Got a coworker that always gets on your nerves? A “friend” that holds you down instead of lifting you up? Your life is too precious to be wasted dealing with people who affect your life negatively and keep you from the path to success. Find a way to cope with that coworker you can’t stand. Let go of people who don’t support you and appreciate you for who you are. Never settle for low-quality relationships just because you’re afraid to be alone. After all, when you rid yourself of toxic relationships, you are making way for better things to come. Surround yourself only with people who will encourage you and make you want to be a better person.

4. Not Taking Care of Your Body

With the stressful lifestyle that comes with being an adult, many turn to smoking and drinking to cope. While they aren’t exactly harmful in limited amounts, when abused, they could lead to serious health consequences in the long run. Now is the time to break those habits. Your old self will be thanking you for it. Find other healthier ways to cope with stress instead.

 5. Spending Long Hours Lurking on Social Media

Spending too long looking at other people’s stories can negatively affect your emotional well-being and satisfaction in life. It will only leave you feeling depressed and think your life isn’t as exciting as theirs. You have your own life to live–go out and live it instead of comparing it with others’. No one’s life isn’t really what it seems to be on social media anyway.

 6. Using Your Phone Before Bedtime

Studies have shown that the light from our mobile devices has a high concentration of blue light which affects levels of sleep-inducing hormone melatonin and can mess up your body clock, making it harder for you to sleep every night. Not getting enough sleep at night makes you a grumpy person in the morning!

7. Always Saying “Yes”

Stop trying to please everyone else. It’s okay to do things for the sake of others, but not to the point where it becomes detrimental to your own well-being. Learn to make decisions you’re comfortable with, not what you think will be good for other people. As Savannah Marie said, “If you want to change how you live your life, start by making your own decisions.”

8. Always Looking for Something or Someone to Blame

Stop blaming the universe, your god, your friend, and everyone else for all the misfortunes you experience. It doesn’t mean everything bad that happens to you is your fault. It just means you need to take responsibility for what happens in your life. After all, what’s happening in your life right now is the result of your past decisions. Make the best of what you have and stop complaining that others have it better than you do. Every person you meet is fighting their own battle.

 9. Constantly Putting Things Off

We’re all guilty of putting things off from time to time. It may be because we’re not in the mood, or we’re too scared to do something that we delay doing them for as long as we can. However, avoiding these tasks will only heighten your fear and undermine your confidence in doing the task. Turning procrastination into a habit can hinder you from achieving true happiness and success. Laziness is another story, but it’s also another habit that hinders you from achieving your goals. Go to the doctor. Make that phone call. Give your room that makeover you’ve been thinking about for months. Go see that movie you’ve had in your browser bookmark since last year. Start with the little things, and soon enough you’ll be adapting the habit and mindset of doing things NOW. You’ll be surprised how a simple change in behavior can change your life.

10. Living in Your Comfort Zone

Successful people didn’t get to where they are because they sat around and waited for things to be handed to them. Stop talking yourself down. Ask that coworker you’ve been eyeing for a long out. Quit that job you’ve been keeping because it’s “stable” and pursue your real passion. As Blair Waldorf once said, “Destiny is for losers. It’s a stupid excuse to wait for things to happen instead of making them happen.”

Popular belief states that it takes 21 days to break a habit, but experts argue in recent studies that “there’s no typical time frame for breaking a habit, and the right recipe is going to be a mix of personality, motivation, circumstances, and the habit in question.” Apparently, people who willingly want to break a habit for their own good can change their behavior faster than those that are only doing it due to pressure from others.

Old habits die hard, but don’t let the challenge discourage you. In the end, you’re doing this for yourself. Aren’t you excited for the happiness that awaits you?