Eliraz Sade Reflects on Shedding Negative Habits for Greater Happiness
In a personal essay for Rosh Hashanah, Israeli television personality Eliraz Sade shared his journey of overcoming detrimental habits that he believes diminished his joy. Sade identified smoking, excessive black coffee consumption, sad movies, unending series with suffering protagonists, the constant feeling that tasks are about to be completed, and the fear of being taken advantage of as habits he has worked hard to break.
He explained that societal conditioning often teaches individuals to fight, strive, and avoid appearing weak, but not necessarily how to be happy. Sade realized these "bad habits" were not contributing to his happiness but were instead eroding it. He views Rosh Hashanah as an opportune time for personal cleansing and recommitting to a happier life, emphasizing that this is an individual effort as everyone is preoccupied with their own challenges.
Sade reflected on how he used to rush through his days, but has since learned to "breathe" and appreciate the present moments, even mundane ones like bathing a child, gardening, or tidying up. He concluded that while people accumulate bad habits from a young age, it is time to let them go and actively cultivate happiness.
