It’s so easy to be toxic these days as we are constantly exposed to negativity.

Social media has fuelled that fire.

Trolling, according to the Cambridge dictionary, means the act of leaving an insulting message on the internet in order to annoy someone. There are even people who create several different profiles at once for the purposes of trolling. Imagine that… trolling is now an art form.

Cyberbullying, a modern-day phenomenon, Is totally devastating to the victim. A 2018 Pew Research study found that 59% of teens experienced some form of cyberbullying. Many, unfortunately, commit suicide.

Then there is media, tv, radio, and print bombarding us, exposing us daily to negative mind control and programming. When was the last time you saw or heard a positive and uplifting headline?

So how can we fight the toxicity of negativity?

• Don’t listen to the news. Believe me, if something serious has happened, you’ll be told by someone in your network.
• Read or watch something positive on a daily basis. Reprogram your mind.
• Laugh lots. Watch comedy movies and tv shows.
• Don’t gossip or participate in gossip. The great Don Miguel Ruiz, in his magnificent book The Four Agreements, talks about “being impeccable with your word. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.”
• Who are you associating with? Are they positive? Do they support your dreams or do they attempt to steal them? If they don’t support you, they are toxic. Avoid them.
• Count your blessings and develop an attitude of gratitude. Every night before I go to sleep, I will go over what positive things happened to me that day and everything that I’m grateful for…all my senses, being pain-free, that I have food and shelter, etc
• Be aware of your thoughts. Eliminate negative voices from your head. Your thoughts live inside your head but you can only think one thought and accommodate one voice at a time. If you start hearing that negative voice, kick it out, change channels, or whatever works. Do it immediately. Don’t let that negative voice take over. Do not give that voice shelter in your mind. It isn’t welcome.
• Keep busy with activities and with people who make you feel good.
• STOP COMPLAINING. Remember the saying “when you point the finger of blame at someone or something, there are 3 fingers pointing at you.”

Finally, just remember, if you go into a room full of poison, you’ll breathe poison. Right? Be aware of who you are associating with and what you are listening to. Then take action to make changes if your spirit is not being nourished positively.