Despite the very best efforts to stay out of too much trouble, sometimes sh*t hits the fan. Hard. Whether it’s a bad break-up, a best friend who bailed, or common schoolyard bullies, the people in our lives can really be hurtful – which totally sucks because me, you, and any other mistreated human has more important things to do (like study for finals, find roommates, and eat froyo, to name a few) than feel bad. In light of this, here are some tips in order to help purge your life from toxic people.
1. Grab your phone and go through friend lists/followers/contacts/etc.
Whether our eyeballs like it or not, they spend quite a bit of time on those 4-inch screens. In order to make this activity less strenuous, find and remove persons you find toxic. Depending on the severity of the B.S experienced and the likelihood that you obsess over their profile, you can even hit the block button. Yep, you have my permission – you do not need to be Facebook friends with the girl who only sat with you because of ABC order. Or your ex. Or the jerk preaching that feminism is cancer. Or the hypocrite eating tacos while professing support for Trump’s wall idea. Also, depending on the platform, blocking or unfriending may not delete messages sent. If this is the case, be sure to erase those too.
2. If applicable, screenshot evidence of bullying.
This one can be a bit tricky. You may just want to forget all about it like the trash you tossed out two weeks ago, which is perfectly understandable, but if there is a chance that a) You see them on a regular basis b) You feel there is a chance they might continue to be a bother despite being removed from your phone c) You want to tell someone what happened, I highly recommend saving as much evidence as you can. No matter what choice you make, do know that bullying in person and online cyberbullying is a horrid crime to commit that is punishable in most schools, workplaces, and organizations.
3. Cleanse your wardrobe
I have always felt that clothing has the ability to absorb memories gained while wearing them into their fibers. My periwinkle track shirt reminds me of bus rides home from after school meets and jamming to Beyoncé with my friends. My bicycle print v-neck reminds me of anxiously waiting for the hours of my flight to L’viv for a family trip to tick by. If clothing brings back positive vibes, keep rocking them. If not, I highly recommend donating or tossing. For example, if say a certain varsity baseball hoodie hanging in your closet is from your best friend’s brother (who has totally broken your heart about 12 times since 4th grade), you may want to think about removing it and other articles with similar unpleasant backgrounds.
4. Need a pep talk? Listen to the greatest president the U.S. has ever seen (Kid President):