4 Tips for Finding Happiness Along Your Entrepreneurial Journey Here are four tips to help you find happiness despite the constant ups and downs of entrepreneurship.
By Dejon Brooks Edited by Chelsea Brown
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Let's face it, sometimes being an entrepreneur can be lonely — especially when only a few people believe in your vision. This, combined with the constant setbacks and roadblocks, makes it easy for any entrepreneur to fall into depression.
I'm only 22, but my journey started around 2014. During this period, I've had numerous successes and failures. During times things weren't going well, I learned different ways to appreciate the moment and find opportunities despite the chaos.
Here are my four favorite things to do to make the journey fun despite the constant ups and downs.
Related: 7 Keys to Unlock Your Happiness
1. Letting go of expectations and enjoying the present
I've recently been learning about the concept of letting go. A couple of months ago, I was on a call with my accountability partner, and he just got tired of setting goals, so he didn't send any for the month of February 2023. Long story short, that month was his best month in a long time because he temporarily released his expectations and let things flow naturally.
You see, when you have high expectations or goals, you're immediately going to feel the emotions of stress, anxiety, depression, pressure, etc. We often think that this is okay and that these negative emotions will go away once our goals/expectations are achieved, but that is false.
Once you reach an expectation or goal (such as becoming a millionaire), you now have to maintain it, which can often be more challenging. Trying to maintain something like this will bring those same negative emotions back, making you unhappy.
This is why people say money, fame and success won't make you happy. An effective way to find happiness is to release all expectations and be grateful for what you have and where you currently are in life/business.
Doing this regularly improves my mental health and overall happiness during uncertain times.
I'm not saying you need to get rid of all your goals, but I believe you should find a healthy balance between setting goals and having no goals/expectations.
2. Have the mindset that you're writing your story in real-time
We've all had those roadblocks or setbacks that seemed impossible to go around. I've gotten tons of them during my journey, and I'm still getting them. But each time I encounter a significant setback, I see it as a new plot twist to add to my story.
When I first started, I had a specific end goal in mind, but by having the mindset that I'm writing my story in real-time, my end goal is dramatically different and far better than I initially anticipated.
3. Build and reinforce existing relationships
Sometimes in business, the best solution is to do less. As I pull away some attention from my business, one area I love giving more of my attention to is the people in my life. This includes friends, family and potentially anyone I may be dating.
By releasing expectations (as mentioned in my first point) and spending quality time with the people I love, I am not only strengthening those relationships but often finding solutions to my problems by stepping back.
4. Give your mental and physical health attention
I've been doing a lot of research on mental health recently. Taking care of your mental health is essential because it is very easy to overwork yourself and slide into burnout.
Using the concept of letting go, my definition of self-care is letting go of expectations and focusing on yourself.
Some of my favorite self-care/mental health practices include:
Journaling
Going on night walks by myself
Going on solo drives in silent
Eating out by myself
Reading a book
Going to a park
Sitting in a hammock by the water
Working out (giving attention to your body)
Improving my relationship with God
Related: 10 Simple Daily Practices That Will Make You Happier
The world around us is a reflection of our inner beliefs. One of the best ways to improve your circumstances is to work on yourself from within.
Being an entrepreneur is not an easy thing to do. There will be lots of good and bad times. The key is to show up every day and enjoy the process, especially during your worst days. Your worst days are the hardest to appreciate in the moment, but when you look back, you'll be forever grateful for what you went through.
