This day in age, toxins are all around us. Toxins are found in the air we breathe, the foods we eat, and in the products we use—and we’re exposed to them every single day. But aside from the obvious types of toxins, like pollution, heavy metals, and cigarette smoke, lie three unexpected types of toxins that can wreak havoc on our day-to-day lives and negatively impact our well-being.
We understand how daunting it can feel to make changes in your life—especially when it involves things you don’t realize have an effect on your happiness! But don’t fret, we’re here to help!
So, today I’m going to reveal to you the three most unexpected types of toxins in your life, how they can negatively affect you and your happiness, and what you can do to manage the damage to get your sparkle back. It’s time to channel your inner Marie Kondo, do a little “spring cleaning”, and kick those toxins to the curb so you can feel happier and live a life that sparks joy! 🧘🏻♀️✨
Unexpected Types Of Toxins, Revealed!
These types of toxins aren’t your run-of-the-mill toxins, in fact, you’ve probably never even thought about them as toxins before now—but these little-known toxins affect us much differently than their more obvious counterparts, and here’s why…
Instead of having an effect on your internal body, they affect the parts of yourself that connect to the outside world. For example, they can affect the outlook you have on yourself, your surroundings, your circumstances, and they can even affect your perspective on the world.
Buddha once said, “What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. And what you imagine, you create.”
It’s these wise words that remind us that we possess the power to change our circumstances. However, when certain types of toxins enter our lives we can sometimes fail to act on the possibility of change because we’re unable to recognize opportunities when they present themselves. It’s almost as if these toxins blind us from the things we want most…
Types Of Toxins
But, what is a toxin? In general, a toxin is a type of poison. The types of toxins I’m referring to are not literally poisonous but they are fully capable of causing serious harm to your health and to your well-being.
These are the types of toxins that I’m talking about…
- Toxins that affect your surroundings
- Toxins that affect your mindset
- Toxins that affect your physical body
By identifying how these types of toxins affect your day-to-day, you can be better prepared to make positive changes—and that’s exactly what we hope to inspire you to do. Think of this as a form “spring cleaning,” but instead of spring cleaning your house, you’re doing it for your life!
1. Toxins That Affect Your Surroundings
The most common type of toxin that affects your surroundings comes in the form of clutter. Yup, clutter! Believe it or not, clutter can do a number on your mental health. In fact, a study conducted at Princeton University Neuroscience Institute found that clutter negatively affects your ability to focus and process information because it creates a subconscious form of distraction.
The clutter competes for your attention in the same way a toddler might stand next to you annoyingly tugging on your shirt repeating “Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom… Mom, Mom, Mom…. Mom” while you’re in the middle of a conversation. Although you may be able to continue chatting, you’re still well aware that a screaming child is vying for your attention. This constant annoyance can wear down your mental resources and eventually provoke frustration.
People say that when you’re organized, you’re in control—and this couldn’t be truer! When your physical surroundings are clean, tidy, and organized, so is your mind. You can think more clearly and set short- and long-term goals you might not have considered before.
So, if you want to make some improvements in your day-to-day life, decluttering your surroundings is a great place to start. There is no need to do any drastic decluttering either. You can start with something small that doesn’t require a lot of your time or energy, like organizing your purse, clearing out your email inbox, or cleaning up your kitchen cabinets (especially that junk drawer!), for example.
Where’s Marie Kondo when you need her? #tidyingup
2. Toxins That Affect Your Mindset
The second type of toxins affect your mindset. These types of toxins are typically more difficult to confront because they are personal behavior traits that drag you down and hold you back from living a more positive life. And let’s face it, acknowledging negative behavior traits isn’t easy—it takes a strong person to put their ego aside, take a long, hard look in the mirror, and be willing to admit they need to make some changes. And although these behavior traits are difficult to forgo, they can feel the most liberating and rewarding once you do.
Here are a few examples of toxic behaviors that should have no place in your life: Passing judgment on others, participating in drama, playing the victim, taking things personally, comparing yourself to others, and holding onto grudges. Of course, there are plenty of other negative behaviors that are toxic to your mindset, but what’s important to remember is that exposure to this type of toxin is more abundant than you think.
You may have read those examples and thought that none of the behavior traits apply to you—and while that may be true, you can still be affected by others who project these types of behavior traits onto you.
In fact, a long-term study that followed more than 10,000 subjects for an average of 12.2 years, discovered that subjects in negative relationships were at a greater risk for developing heart problems, including a fatal cardiac event, than those who maintained positive and healthy close relationships.
With that said, ridding yourself of toxic relationships is just as important as making the changes within yourself. This means having the courage to walk away from any friendships, romances, and work and family relationships that no longer serve you, grow you, or make you happy. #selfloveisnotselfish
3. Toxins That Affect Your Physical Body
The third type of toxins that damage your day-to-day life are the ones that affect your physical body. I’m not referring to the toxins that build up inside your body and cause toxin accumulation, I’m actually referring to bad habits that contribute to weight gain and poor health. These habits can include a sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol intake, smoking or using tobacco products, having a poor diet, using beauty products that contain sulfates, parabens, and phthalates, stressing out too much, and not getting enough sleep, just to name a few.
We all know that bad habits are hard to kick, but when it comes to your health and improving your overall quality of life, finding a way to make the necessary changes is crucial. Studies show that individuals who are overweight or obese not only experience a lower quality of life than those who maintain a healthy weight, but experience additional physical, mental, and social impairments that play into a vicious cycle of behaviors that make it harder for them to lose weight.
So, if you want to rid yourself of these types of toxic behaviors the first step is to define the concrete behavior you want to change or develop, identify any triggers that cause that behavior, deal with the trigger, and then substitute the behavior for something positive.
For example, if you have a tendency to drink alcohol after a long day at work, chances are that stress might be a contributing factor to that behavior. You can’t expect the stress to just go away—you have to deal with it somehow. So if you’re on your way home from a stressful day, try taking a scenic detour or listening to your favorite song for a few minutes rather than cracking open a cold one. If you want to do yourself a favor, you’ll get rid of the booze altogether and replace it with something else, like a mocktail or kombucha!
How To “Spring Clean” Your Life & Feel Happier!
Spring cleaning your life sounds like it would be a loaded task—and for good reason! It’s not easy making a bunch of changes at once, especially if you’re new to this whole “improving your life” thing. But the simplest and most effective way to see positive changes in your day-to-day is to start with something small that doesn’t require a lot of effort (but has a big payoff!)
At SkinnyFit, we believe that nourishing your body with premium and top quality products and ingredients is an effortless way to push the needle of good health in the right direction. These are our top three must-haves that can help make your spring cleaning easier than ever…
- SkinnyFit Detox—speaking of toxins, the 13 powerful superfood ingredients found in SkinnyFit Detox help to flush your body of harmful toxin buildup that can cause uncomfortable belly bloat, weight gain, stress, and body fat. Now you can supercharge your weight loss with just one cup per day!
- SkinnyFit Belly Balance—an all-natural blend of kombucha and probiotics promotes healthy digestion and regulates bowel movements, while enzymes & extracts of ginger root, pineapple, and papaya relieve inflammation, boost immunity, and calm occasional bloating. Feel cleaner, leaner, and healthier with SkinnyFit Belly Balance.
- SkinnyFit Jump Start—this natural pre-workout gives you more motivation, focus, and endurance and get the most out of your daily routine—without the crash! Get a jump on your spring cleaning with SkinnyFit Jump Start, there is no better way to boost your energy!