Have Some Self-Control

The more self-control people reported having, the more satisfied they reported being with their lives. And contrary to what the researchers were expecting, people with more self-control were also more likely to be happy in the short-term. In fact, when they further analyzed the data, they found that such people’s increased happiness to a large extent accounted for the increased life satisfaction.

Not surprisingly, people with self-control end up happier in life. It’s not about denial — it’s about being able to have one drink (or whatever your demons are) and thinking, “I’m good, I don’t need another!” rather than having to fight an inner battle within yourself about why you shouldn’t have something you know is bad for you/can’t afford/will bring you to an early grave.

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