Train Like A Kid
Step 7: Detoxify the company you keep
By Douglas Pieterse, Co-Founder & Head Personal Trainer
"It may be simple but not always easy"
Every day pretty much starts the same way. You wake up in a somewhat good mood which only gets better and better as you start your routine of coffee and funny memes on Instagram. At this rate, enlightenment is only a few steps away, everyone should just love everyone, save the trees etc. and then you bump into Jessica. Jessica gives you a brief insight into why her life is so bad and is kind enough to let you know how imperfect your life is and why you may never succeed in anything you do. After a brief encounter with her you feel exhausted and it’s time for another coffee. How can we avoid people like Jessica, who don’t build us up and give us energy but rather suck us into a void of negativity and unhappiness?
It’s Sunday morning, you get up, half-awake you make your way to the bathroom for your “morning watering ritual”. You look down and instead of seeing what you’re doing, you only see your two feet poking right past your round belly. You think to yourself, it’s time for a change, you know it, I know it and I’m sure anyone you ask along the way would probably agree. But knowing what exactly to get started with and finding motivation to workout seems so daunting. With the abundance of media messages and options that all promise to deliver results to everyone else’s body but yours.
How do the Kids do it
Having spent some time working with kids and having two of my own, one technique that I have often witnessed is simple but effective. If a kid has nothing nice to say and spoils the fun by being uncooperative, the other kids move on. Kids are generally attracted to the enjoyment of life. They choose friends that have common interests and ‘cut out the stupid ones’ (as they put it).
This may seem harsh but if we break down what the kids mean by stupid it’s actually pretty genius. Basically, if someone brings themselves and those around them down, they are deemed as stupid, and I can’t disagree. They don’t hang around getting sucked into the drama and despair of a wretchedly unhappy person, instead they take one look and decide this is not fun, let’s explore other opportunities of happiness.
Stay in control
This skill is lost as we get older and we put up with the negativity until it becomes the norm.
As the saying goes “You are the average of the 5 people you hang out with”. This is as true physically as it is mentally. Take a step towards improving the company around you by identifying those that don’t contribute towards a positive attitude, then cut them out of your daily life as much as possible. It may be worth not calling them stupid. There will always be people that you just can’t kick to the curb or plain ignore but staying in control of how much you allow them to project onto yourself will go a long way. Should this be a person that means a lot to you, then look to build on your relationship by addressing the issues that bring both you both down. It could mean helping someone you love to see that life is an adventure to be lived, as opposed to a problem to be solved, and how you approach your time with others doesn’t need to be dictated by anything but attitude. We are not zombies and there will be days where not all is honki dori but those should be a lower percentage of the days.
Fun energetic people are amazing to be around, and they tend to have a lot of friends.
Be careful not to get stuck in negative victim trap and keep those that uplift you close at hand. Also…
Don’t deal with stupid people.
Be careful not to get stuck in negative victim trap and keep those that uplift you close at hand. Also…
Don’t deal with stupid people.
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