Stay Happy By Avoiding Toxicity

We all want to feel good, to be happy, and be surrounded by positive energy all the time.

But — whether you’re turning on the news or turning to the same circle of friends who don’t support you the way you want – the world is filled with toxic waste that can keep us down and dark.

So how do you stay in the light of life?

By recognizing the things in your life that create toxicity — and doing something about it.

Here are six common (and detrimental) actions we all often revert back to — address these and give yourself the best chance to keep your good juju today:

1. Surrounding yourself with people who don’t make you happy
   Relationships are just time spent — and time is your most valuable commodity. Make sure you are spending yours on people who reciprocate your loving attention and create the community you deserve.
2. Letting Life Get Cluttered
   Whether it’s your apartment, your car or your social circle, you likely have more than you need — and every day presents an opportunity to straighten things up.
   A daily practice of taking 2 minutes to tidy things up — or a monthly practice of organizing your month ahead — can keep your physical space clean and your personal energy light.
3. Holding onto anger or resentments
   Hating someone else for anything is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Your time is too precious to waste burning energy needlessly. When you see anger arise in you, understand what it is, share it with someone or write it down — and let it go! For your sake.
4. Worrying about what you don’t have, instead of appreciating what you do
   It’s said that if you can’t be thankful for what you have, you won’t be thankful for what you get. Where do you want to draw the line for being grateful for your life? Much of our planet’s 7 billion citizens don’t have access to clean water, consistent food or a hot shower.

   Gratitude is an action! When you practice it, you create it for yourself, whether it’s enjoying the little details or bigger wins. You get to choose how grateful you want to be.

5. Focusing on your character flaws, instead of your character assets
   Whatever we focus on grows. Focus on what we do well – whether it’s our ability to communicate, the healthy habits we do have or what’s working in our life – allows us to live in the solution we bring to the world.
6. Complaining about what you cannot change
   Problems that you can’t change are not problems — they are facts!

   Life is filled with what could’ve or might’ve been — Embrace that fact, and move onto the next action. The more we learn from what happened, the better we can do today to create a brighter, lighter, more beautiful future.

So just for today, stop waiting on the world to change — and be the change yourself.

Steer clear of toxicity, walk towards positivity — and live your heart’s desire, with a smile. Nothing and no one can stop you.