• http://go.officearrow.com/home Lauren

    Some great points here, Mark. I have recently pulled myself out of a lengthy miserable spell which I got into by following the first two tips mentioned in this article. It’s just too easy to take yourself seriously and believe in your own importance. It’s also easy to only dwell in the negative and convince yourself that your life isn’t as great as you would like it to be. The key thing to remember about being miserable is you can change it at any time simply by taking action. You’re the only one who determines how your life plays out, so make it what you want it to be.

    • http://effortlessabundance.com/blog Mark Harrison

      Lauren, you’re so right – we are in control and it’s a shame when we allow others to take that control away from us.

  • http://www.mikestechblog.com Mike

    Excellent article! It amazes me how many people have such mastery on these skills with, of course, the end result of being constantly miserable, and angry within themselves.

  • http://qupfromtheashes.blogspot.com/ Quinn

    All to often we take the job of being happy to seriously. But by giving us a list of things to do to be miserable you show us that happiness is our base state and misery is something we create for ourselves.

  • http://www.gainselfconfidence.org/sub Get An IRON-SOLID Self-Confidence in 21 Days

    Funny.. Sadly most people are doing exactly the things you wrote – and don’t understand why they are miserable and don’t get ahead in life.

  • Cristina

    Really liked it!

  • http://www.cfowise.com Ken Kaufman

    Great article…thought-provoking. I especially enjoyed the point about focusing problems, the ones you can’t control.

  • http://positivelypresent.com Positively Present

    This is a fantastic post. So true that so many people do these things and it’s definitely sad. Can’t wait to RT this and share it with those who follow @positivepresent on Twitter! :)

  • http://www.timelessinformation.com Armen Shirvanian

    Hey Mark.

    I had been looking for how to become miserable, so I am glad to read this.

    I sure don’t forget insults. I should keep a database of them. This helps me to waste hours during the day thinking of the insults.

    Good call about not trying to improve anything. When I see problems, I make sure to leave them alone. This way, I can stay comfortable as things are.

    There are a lot of people better off than me, so I make sure to feel jealous often.

    Good stuff here~

  • http://effortlessabundance.com/blog Mark Harrison

    Yes – I agree that happiness is our default state – if we just relax, it will emerge.

  • http://www.livingwords.net Doug Cartwright

    Love it, brilliant article. I’d like to share an interesting quote I heard from Martin Seligman the year before last (the guy who investigated optimism and pessimism). He said he used to think if you helped a miserable person get rid of their negative beliefs you’d have a happy person. Instead, all you get is an empty person… so whilst ridding yourself of the above habits be sure to build in some empowering beliefs as well…! Again, great, great writing. I wrote something broadly similiar on my blog at http://www.livingwords.netdougblog.html – I am a mistake maker.

    Thanks for making me smile.

  • http://www.projectjunto.com Cory Alfers I Project Junto

    Haha, do I sense a hit of sarcasm? If only it were so obvious to the people who actually live life by these principles. Thanks for the laugh.

  • http://www.boostyourmotivation.co.uk Hani Al-Qasem

    Thank you for a truly inspiring article. We are all in control of our lives whether we realise it or not, either in a positive or a negative way. We could create better lives for ourselves and others by focusing more on the happy, good things in life.

  • http://www.upliftantidote.co.uk/wordpress/ JACQUI JONES

    Oh my goodness. How funny is that? I wrote an extremely similar within days of yours called “how to be utterly miserable (or how to be happy backwards)”. Do you think we synchronized on the web of telepathy? I’ve just come across your blog, and have a quick skim through, I think we’re on a very similar wavelength so I’ll be back soon to read more. My next post however is going to be called Constipation – no need to strain :) I bet you’re not going to write a similar one! That would be strange. Seasons greetings (although I am a self-confessed bah humbug around Christmas). xxx

  • http://RichGrad.com Yee Shun Jian

    Lol… A sarcastic piece that brings to light the many ways we make ourselves feel small and worthless. As they say… Awareness is the first step to change!

  • http://conversations-with-blog.blogspot.com/ Stuart

    At last someone has come out and said it! Why are so many people constantly trying to raise your spirits with words of bloody encouragement. It’s alright for them to be positive, they’ve probably got a lot of good things going on in their lives. Why can’t they butt out of my business and leave me to be the miserable sod I’ve been working so hard to be all these years!!?? :) (PS, Loved it and will share it!)