Why am I feeling unhappy in my home?
Are you feeling unhappy at home? If so, find out why that might be.
Unhappiness can be a tricky beast. It can come upon you without warning, and suddenly change the way you view your life without an apparent cause.
This is made even more difficult if the unhappiness is connected to where you’re living.
Your home should feel like a refuge and a safe space, and feeling unhappy with it can have a negative effect on your mental health. But why are you feeling suddenly unhappy, and, short of moving house, what can you do to fix it?
Could there be an external reason?
Everything in our brains is connected, so it’s important to consider your life as a whole rather than focussing immediately on a single issue.
It could be that you’re actually struggling with a different problem, but your mind is expressing that stress as dissatisfaction with your home. This is called displacement, and it’s a fairly common reaction to difficult situations.
Examine your feelings, and try to place the source of your unhappiness, if you can. It’s only with this knowledge that you’ll be able to address the underlying issue and start to recover.
Is your home clean enough?
Okay, so this might seem a reductive answer, but you’d be surprised how often it’s the case. Are you feeling just a bit dissatisfied, a bit uncomfortable in your own home? If so, the next question to ask is how clean is it?
The gradual build-up of dirt and grime can happen without you realising it, and have a surprisingly great effect on your mood within your own home, as you may be subconsciously aware of the mess without fully registering it.
If this sounds familiar, either spend a day cleaning, or even hire the job out to a professional, and bring your home back to you. If you’re finding it hard to maintain cleanliness, it might be worth looking at various improvement options.
For example, good bathroom cladding from floors to walls can reduce the risk of damp and mould, meaning you will have to worry about cleaning less.
Are you feeling lonely?
Your home can be a safe space, but it can also be a lonely place, especially if you live alone.
If this is the cause of your unhappiness, you can combat it in several ways. Short term solutions can sometimes work to banish unhappiness, such as inviting friends round for dinner or making plans to go out and socialise.
You might find that after a week of being out and about, your home suddenly feels like the refuge it once was again, and you can’t wait to get back to it.
Pets are also a great way to combat loneliness in your home, as long as you act responsibly and you are prepared for the long-term consequences of looking after another creature.
Are you bored with your home?
Finally, are you simply bored with your home? This is not uncommon, and you can easily wake up one day and realise that you are simply fed up of what’s around you.
In this case, it’s time to make some changes. Paint a statement wall, buy some house plants, rearrange some furniture, or put up some artwork. Making a single small change to a room can freshen it up and give your eyes something new to look at.
If boredom is the source of your unhappiness, this is an easy and quick way to get to the root of it and find happiness in your home again.
Photo by cottonbro
