House Cleaning

Photo by Morgan Daniels

Sometimes removing things from our lives can be a tough experience. This could be a person, object or thing you have grown an attachment with, a location you repeatedly visit, or just a habit you are used to doing for so long it becomes a daily routine for you. I know I have gone through my share of “removals” throughout my life, most were tough to go through but they all taught me a valuable lesson. You cannot find joy in harmful people or things no matter how much good you may see in those things or people. Most of the time when we as people and human beings begin to lose that joy or happiness, we look for it in other things and people. For example, if you are having a bad day, you may go shopping because it brings you pleasure or to the gym to workout. But sometimes those things we go to in order to find that missing joy and fill that void, may not be good for us in the long run. I took the month of November to remove dead weight or remove things and people that meant me no good or became a burden to my joy. Sort of like a sense of “house cleaning”. Some were tough for me but I know now that I must be around positivity in order for me to continuously be happy. Listed below are some ways to remove toxic relationships and patterns from your life and begin to find that joy that was once missing:

1. Begin a Morning Routine
   Start your day off an hour earlier than scheduled. This is time for you to get yourself ready for the day. Unwind a bit before your hectic schedule begins to take over. This is a time to forget about any problems from the previous day especially if you have no control over those problems, as it may hinder you from moving forward. Start off with a nice breakfast, or at least try to grab a bite to eat on the go to school or work. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and it can help determine whether you are going to have a good or bad day. You can also exercise, read a book or the paper before beginning normal daily routines.

2. Stop Smoking and Drinking
   Replace daily toxic habits with more healthier choices like eating fruit, exercising, or chewing gum during times you may feel the urge to light one up or take a sip. Even though we may think these things are solving the problem and helping towards relaxing things, they are really just making us more irritable and uneasy throughout the day.

3. End Bad Relationships
   A typical bad relationship with someone will vary from person to person. What one may see as bad, another may not. But if you are around someone who constantly makes you feel bad about yourself, or constantly downs you as a person, it is time to cut that relationship off. A real friend or relationship with someone whether it be your wife/husband, girlfriend/boyfriend, or significant other/life partner should never make you feel bad or negative.

4. Check Yourself
   If you are constantly downing everyone around you, it is time for you to do a reality check of yourself. Sometimes we get so caught up in focusing on what others are doing bad to us that we forget how to treat others. Sometimes our toxic experience end up becoming our own toxic habits towards others. Break that cycle by always respecting others no matter how they treat you. Always be kind, you never know what a person may be going through.