Finding people who make you happy. I know it sounds stupid, but it took me a long time to realize that I wasn’t a bad person if I didn’t like someone and that I don’t need to keep people in my life who make me unhappy.
Another important thing I realized is that it’s okay to say no if I don’t want to do something–people appreciate a straight answer, and it’s much more annoying to them if I say yes and then back out at the last minute than if I just politely say no to begin with. I’m not doing anyone a favor by going to an event that I know I’ll hate–I’m an introvert (not shy, I just need time alone in order to function), so I used to get really stressed out and irritated when I went out too much just because I didn’t really know I had the option to say no. Now that I’ve learned how to take care of myself, I’m much happier when I DO hang out with my friends, because I genuinely want to be there. It’s taken me 25 years to figure this out.
Most importantly: Appreciation is the first step. Appreciation of everything.
