Some people are naturally happy, waking up each day and facing the world with excitement and optimism. However, for others, the glass is half empty, causing them to remain unhappy for most of their days.

Please know that the intention of this is not to shame anyone or blame anyone for going through hard times. However, it can be said that our lives are the result of our habits. Yes, there are uncontrollable events beyond our control, and everyone, even the happiest of people falls in bad times. But, when we fall into bad habits that only cause our unhappiness to grow, we can end up stuck there in that dark place.

Here are 12 habits of those who are chronically unhappy.

1. They believe they have no control.

Unhappy people feel powerless over their lives. They see others making accomplishments and view it as the luck of the draw. Rather than feeling as though they too could accomplish something, they believe they have been dealt a bad hand, pure and simple.

2. They believe that life is hard.

Many unhappy people believe that life is inherently hard. A good life to them is either a facade or someone who is just simply lucky. What they don’t realize is that while life is hard at times, it doesn’t have to be always.

3. They only focus on the bad.

Unhappy people focus on the negative. They don’t see light at the end of the tunnel, but instead, shift their perspective toward every bad thing in the world and maintain their focus on that. The trouble with this is that if only they would shift their focus, they would find that there is good, too.

4. They lead sedentary lives.

Various studies have found links between physical activity and improved mood. Conversely, those that have little activity in their lives are oftentimes sad, anxious, and unhappy. While activity won’t solve all of your problems, it most definitely will boost your mood and help you to feel more control over your life.

5. They self-isolate.

Unhappy people isolate themselves from the world. They put a guard up around them and the rest of the world and they shut the people that love them the most out. This is a coping mechanism, but it’s counterproductive in the long run.

6. They constantly complain.

We’ve all met that one person that complains about everything. No matter what is going right in the world, they always find one thing to be angry about. Everything is always wrong for them, and nothing is enough.

7. They are jealous.

Rather than being happy for others when they succeed, an unhappy person feels jealous. They can’t understand why someone else could have something good when everything in their lives feels so bad. What they are overlooking is that happiness is a state of mind.

8. They victimize themselves.

We can take two paths in life: the first being the path of the victim, and the second being the path of the survivor. Which do you believe finds happiness? Unfortunately, it’s not the one who is a victim all the time. Yes, bad things happen, but taking on the mentality of a victim won’t solve your problems.

9. They hold onto grudges.

I am not saying if someone does you wrong, that you shouldn’t have boundaries with them, or even keep them at bay. However, unhappy people hold onto negativity and allow it to fester, which only contributes to their unhappiness.

10. They ignore their real problems.

Unhappy people tend to ignore the actual problems in their life and, instead, focus on everything else. They might complain about the weather, or the food at the local restaurant, while never complaining or striving to change their bad mentality.

11. They focus on what they cannot control.

Focusing on what you have no control over is a battle you won’t win. For example, you can sit around angry at the world because of something that has already happened, or you can place your focus on what actions you need to take to change your future.

12. When they do socialize, they congregate with other unhappy people.

And while they don’t always isolate themselves, when they do seek the company of others, they tend to flock to other unhappy people. Unfortunately, the thing about that is, when you live in an echo chamber of unhappiness, it’s unlikely you will find your way out unless you actively push yourself.