The truth is, our happiness is not dependent on the circumstances around us–but on us and what we choose to see. Of course that’s easier said than done, especially when negativity sneaks its way into our lives and social media feeds. Sometimes you just have to know when and what to filter out of your life in order to let the goodness in. We’ve teamed up with Brita and their Filtered Life campaign to celebrate what it means to filter out the negativity, and make room for clear, clean, and positive lives this year.
1. Hit that ‘unfollow’ button.
We joke and say the phrase, ‘New Year, New Me,’ but in all seriousness, the onset of a new year invites us to change how we were living and start fresh. And if you want to jump into 2017 with a positive mindset, your first step is to remove negativity from your life.
The biggest culprit? Social media.
I know, I know. As much as you want to glorify Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. and all their memory-glorifying moments, studies show that social media can actually trigger a sense of exclusion, envy, and loneliness.
Good thing there’s an easy fix—hit that unfollow button. Any organization, group, or person that frustrates you, annoys you, makes you upset, brings you bad energy, or doesn’t grow or benefit you in some way—feel free to let them go. This doesn’t mean you’re rude or unsupportive, this just means you’re taking steps towards a healthier you. And that’s perfectly okay.
2. Unfriend the complainers and naysayers.
We all have those Facebook friends that post continual streams of ‘poor me’ or ‘I’m so angry I’m going to tell you all about it’ statuses on the daily. You know, the people that had every negative thing to say about the election before, during, and after, or the people whose lives you know every single thing about because they give you a daily play-by-play via the Internet.
It’s time to remove those people from your life. You can love and support them, but you don’t have to continually be sucked into their negative feed.
Anyone who doesn’t uplift you, motivate you, or care for you is not someone you need to be friends with—especially online. This year, don’t be afraid to cut social media (or real life) ties.
3. Flag the crappy content.
Ever stumbled across something totally terrible on your feed, got mad, and then quickly scrolled on so you didn’t have to see it anymore? Yeah, you’re not alone. But instead of scrolling, this year take some action. Most social media sites have ‘flag’ buttons for every piece of content that’s shared. See something offensive? Inappropriate? Downright awful? Go ahead and report it. The Internet should be a place where you can be inspired, encouraged, and strengthened.
4. Be open and vocal.
Half the battle of removing negativity is being able to articulate why certain things bother you, or why something can be seen as negative. When it comes to the Internet, communication is everything. If you see a FB friend, a relative, a coworker, etc. post something that’s just bringing you down—say something. Be open about what bothers you about it. Be vocal about change. And watch how your influence can start to shift what appears on your timeline for the better.
5. Be your own light.
Positivity is something that you can create. You can choose to focus on the good. You can choose to go online and seek out happy, encouraging posts. You can choose to post your own uplifting statuses. You actively search out pages that share good vibes and re-share some posts on your page. Remember this: You are the one who has the power to change your own mindset, and in turn, influence those around you. So be a light for yourself, and for your feeds. New Year, New You. J 
