A Bad Habit "How to"

[imoldernu]

Introspection... on how not to be happy...The 14 Habits of Highly Miserable People | Alternet

First one is appropriate here on ER...

1. Be afraid, be very afraid, of economic loss. In hard economic times, many people are afraid of losing their jobs or savings. The art of messing up your life consists of indulging these fears, even when there’s little risk that you’ll actually suffer such losses. Concentrate on this fear, make it a priority in your life, moan continuously that you could go broke any day now, and complain about how much everything costs, particularly if someone else is buying. Try to initiate quarrels about other people’s feckless, spendthrift ways, and suggest that the recession has resulted from irresponsible fiscal behavior like theirs.

Fearing economic loss has several advantages. First, it’ll keep you working forever at a job you hate. Second, it balances nicely with greed, an obsession with money, and a selfishness that even Ebenezer Scrooge would envy. Third, not only will you alienate your friends and family, but you’ll likely become even more anxious, depressed, and possibly even ill from your money worries. Good job!

 

[sengsational]

Helpful to at least skim through the other 13 so that if you see those in other people, you can find ways not to be around them.

 

[robnplunder]

Well, I was/am guilty of a few of those. Very good article.

I keep myself miserable by keeping a job with an evil boss. delaying my retirement b/c I worry about running out of money at the end, and constantly expecting that my next round of golf will result in a breakthrough.

What keeps you miserable? I need a company (no, not that kind of company).

 

[MBAustin]

Excellent article, especially for Thanksgiving week. Thanks for sharing - I've reposted the link on Facebook as I know a few folks who need to read it.

 

[48Fire]

Very interesting! My Grandma was a professional at most of these, sadly. I have to be on guard that none of the genetics she passed down impact me.

 

[frayne]

The 15th habit should be to surround yourself with other miserable people.

 

[ER Eddie]

That was a funny article, thanks. I like how they have little exercises for each.

Exercise: Write down 20 annoying text messages you could send to a romantic partner. Keep a grudge list going, and add to it daily.

lol.

I'll add two more:

1. Take everything really seriously.
2. Try to control other people.

I also want to echo this observation, since I see it happening with some of the whiney people in my workplace:

When you’re miserable, people feel sorry for you. Not only that, they often feel obscurely guilty, as if your misery might somehow be their fault. This is good! There’s power in making other people feel guilty. The people who love you and those who depend on you will walk on eggshells to make sure that they don’t say or do anything that will increase your misery.

Being whiney is a great way of posturing to make yourself look like a long-suffering person who is just trying to do his/her best but is burdened by the system. It's a great way of blaming everything and everyone else. It's also a great way to manipulate other people to treat you with kid gloves.