Reduce Your Tolerance for Bullshit and Build a New Life
Less worrying, more peace
How many things do you let go unnoticed that are slowly draining your time and energy, leaving you less prepared for what’s important? You’re voluntarily poisoning yourself in the form of toxic friends, mindless gossip, and constant scrolling of your socials because of weak decision-making skills.
Time and energy: aren’t these our two most important resources? Why waste them on things and people that are harming us?
Over time, I’ve implemented 4 changes in my life that have led to more energy, more happiness, more time for things I love and most importantly less worry, less anxiety, and less negative self-talk.
An added benefit: They also make me like myself a little bit more.
Try them out for yourself and see if they don’t lead to a massive positive shift in your life.
Say less
We can all learn some from Keanu Reeves on this one.
“I’m at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you’re right — have fun.”
— Keanu Reeves
If you see yourself engaged in a conversation with someone who’s mindlessly complaining, gossiping and spreading negative energy. Remove yourself from the conversation mentally.
Sometimes people are just triggered or stressed and need to vent. That’s fine. But you don’t need to engage heavily in such conversations. Don’t expend your energy on something that doesn’t add any value.
Also, stay away from people who constantly gossip. They’re highly insecure and need to put others down to make their egos feel better. Instead, surround yourself with people who have positive things to say about others and won’t drain your energy trying to fill a hole in themselves.
Instantly unfollow celebrities and people you dislike on your socials
Follow the grocery store rule:
Only follow people on your socials you’d be happy to bump into at a grocery store.
There’s no need for you to keep up with people’s lives you don’t even like. Stop exposing yourself to highly filtered information that leads to insecurity, jealousy and a negativity bias toward your own life.
Follow people who inspire you, motivate you and you feel happy knowing they’re doing well. The ones you’d cheer for in real life.
Your social media will become a place of positivity and inspiration instead of insecurity and unhappiness.
Only spend time with people who add value to your life
Whoever said having bad friends was better than having no friends was the stupidest monkey on this Earth.
Would you prefer an empty glass when you’re thirsty or a glass full of poison?
Sure, the poison may seem tempting at the time when your mouth is watering and begging for a sip of anything you can get but it will instantly make things worse instead of replenishing you.
This is exactly what toxic friends do. When you’re lonely and in need of connection, you find yourself running back to them but instead of making you feel better, they leave you feeling insecure and unworthy which traps you into a vicious cycle.
Signs you have toxic friends:
- You mostly connect on gossip.
- They make you feel insecure by subtle negative comments hidden as ‘jokes’.
- You don’t feel comfortable sharing good news with them (your intuition is always right, trust it).
- You may have fun with them in the moment but you feel more negative on the days you’re around them.
Let these friends go so you have space in your life to meet new people that lift you up instead of tearing you down.
Remember, these signs are always subtle so if you’re doubting if a certain person is toxic for you, they probably are.
Your tribe will never find you if you’re occupying all your time with the wrong people.
Ditch societal expectations
Don’t wanna go to a distant relative’s wedding? Ditch.
Don’t wanna get a job immediately after graduating? Ditch.
Don’t want to wear clothes others consider appropriate but don’t feel authentic to you? Ditch.
Give yourself the freedom to be who you are, and don’t conform to nonsensical standards. Do only what matters and makes sense to you.
You can’t craft a life you love by following the standards of other people who’re probably unhappy themselves.
Don’t be afraid to be yourself even when it feels like nobody understands you.
Last thoughts
Often, we don’t take notice of these things because they seem inconsequential but removing small little things from our life that don’t make sense opens us up for more beautiful, positive experiences.
Reduce your tolerance for bullshit to zero and see the wonderful places life takes you.
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