Ever since I was little my mom has always told me not to let those unworthy of my time, “rent space in my head”. This could not be truer. Toxic people poison your thoughts and make you feel as though you are someone totally different from who you actually are. These people don’t deserve to be on your mind. They don’t deserve to be the source of your pain and anxiety.

To get these sticky life suckers out of your brain, however, is another task. It is kind of like the pink elephant theory. This theory states that if I tell you to think about a pink elephant you will most definitely imagine it in your head. What will most likely also happen is your mind will be quickly littered with thoughts about this pink elephant. Why is it pink? Does the elephant have a life story? Is it mad that it is pink? Would it rather be blue? Well, the same concept goes for toxic people. You know you shouldn’t let them rent space, but you do. I wish I could sit here and say I knew the answer; I wish I could solve the pink elephant conundrum.

I will tell you this, my mother also gave me a second piece of advice. She says that living well is the best revenge. As long as you are taking steps to better yourself and do the things you love, you can never go wrong. Focus on the relationships in your life that do work and remember to always count life’s little blessings. In the end, that is the best revenge you could possibly scheme.

Another thing, never let yourself cry about the same thing or person more than once. This is my motto. It goes along with the “don’t cry over spilled milk” cliche. This is the sincerest form of truth. It is understandable and important to experience the feelings you are feeling. You have to experience and express these emotions in order to heal, but at a certain point, negative emotions start to consume you. This can cause negative moods and withdrawl. No one wants to be friends with someone who is irritable all the time. So, make the conscious decision to be happy and enjoy life. The rest will fall into place. Remember to hold your “people” tight, the one’s who love you unconditionally, the one’s you adore. My person is my mom, my person is my best friend, and my person is my brother. My people are all around me and that is enough love to fill my heart with extra to spread around. Find what fills your heart and share it.