7 toxic things you need to purge today! (Collab)

Hello! It’s Michelle from Boomer Eco Crusader. I’m excited to be taking over Shelly’s blog for the day. I’m a young-at-heart baby boomer from Kitchener, Canada who blogs about green living, decluttering, money and career tips, and everyday life. Today I’m teaming up with Shelly to share some thoughts on purging toxic clutter from our lives. 

One of my blog themes for 2021 is decluttering. My family lives in the house my husband and I bought when we got married 27 years ago. Over the years, we have accumulated enough clutter for several households. When Shelly and I decided to do a collaboration, she suggested we write about ridding our lives of anything toxic. It was a great reminder that clutter isn’t always about things you can see. 

Here’s my list of 7 toxic things you need to purge today.

Negative self-talk

You’ve heard them. Those little voices in your head that tell you you’re not good enough or smart enough. Sometimes they tell you all the reasons why you’ll fail if you step outside your comfort zone to try something new or different. These toxic thoughts are preventing you from living your best life and they need to go! 

Decide today to turn off the negative self-talk and ignore those thoughts. Here are some positive affirmations to write down and take with you as you go about your day:

• I can do this. 
• I believe in myself. 
• I’m smart. 
• I am enough.
• I’m worthy of love. 
• I will get that job.

Toxic people

Let’s talk about toxic people! Do you have friends, co-workers or family members who constantly complain or gossip about other people? Or maybe they give you backhanded compliments, or find ways to undermine everything you do. How does it feel to be around people like that? Don’t they literally suck the life out of you? Why do you give them that kind of power?

Make a commitment to shed these toxic people from your life. Surround yourself with positive people who lift you up instead of bringing you down. It will make a huge difference in your life. 

Destructive habits

What toxic habit is getting in the way of living your best life? Is it drinking? Lack of exercise? Too much screen time? Spending time on your phone instead of being fully present with the people who need you?

Bad habits developed over a lifetime are hard to break. The secret is to just get started. In his book The Ripple Effect, Dr. Greg Wells talks about improving your life by making yourself 1% better. 1% of your time is just 15 minutes a day. You can find 15 minutes a day to make a positive change in your life. 

Set aside 15 minutes today to reflect on your habits and create a plan to put them behind you. 

Harmful chemicals

This might seem like an odd thing to put on this list but it’s something I’m passionate about. 

Have you ever stopped to read the ingredient list on your personal care or household products? Do it! You’ll be shocked at what you find. Most personal care products contain chemicals linked to cancer and other health issues. Household cleaning products are largely unregulated so manufacturers have free reign to put whatever they want in them. Do you really want to expose yourself and your family to harmful chemicals?

Educate yourself and look for clean products. Check out Dirty dozen ingredients to avoid in cosmetics and Chemical free cleaning to learn what to watch for. 

Unrealistic ideals

As a recovering perfectionist, I know all-too-well the anxiety caused by unrealistic ideals. High standards are great and I’m not advocating for carelessness and sloppy work. But perfectionism robs you of the joy and satisfaction of savouring your achievements. 

Years ago, at work, I was stressing about everything I had to do and how there weren’t enough hours in the day to do it to the standard I wanted to deliver. A very wise co-worker said “You can only do the best you can in the time you have available.” 

These days, I embrace the idea that “done is better than perfect”. You have so many demands on your time. The next time you’re agonizing over minor details, ask yourself if anyone will even notice. 

Regrets…I’ve had a few…

Are you haunted by memories of mistakes you’ve made? Or maybe memories of things you’ve said that you regret, relationships that failed, or jobs you didn’t get? It’s time to let go. By dwelling on those memories, you’re giving them the power to control your present and your future.

You can’t change the past so why waste time reliving it and wishing you’d done things differently? Commit to learning from the past and move on. Better days are ahead. 

Toxic spending habits

Digital marketing experts estimate we see thousands of marketing messages every single day. “Product X will change your life.” “Even though that tech gadget you bought a month ago was the latest and greatest, you need to replace it with the new latest and greatest.” 

Money stress is an epidemic in our materialistic world. FOMO (fear of missing out) and a desire to keep up with the Joneses, the Kardashians or other trendsetters or influencers is unhealthy. It can lead you to overspend and take on crushing levels of debt.   

More stuff is not the key to happiness. Before mindlessly spending, stop, think and ask why. Have a look at mindful shopping habits for questions to ask before you buy. Embrace the idea that less is more. Less stuff means more time for what matters.

So, that’s my list of toxic clutter you need to rid yourself of today. Are there other things you think of when you hear toxic clutter? Tell us below. 

Thanks again Shelly for having me over. Head on over to Boomer Eco Crusader to read Shelly’s thoughts on toxic clutter. 

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Hope you enjoyed that post! If you’re keen to read a little more on self improvement, make sure to check out 5 Things you can do to sound smarter!