<i></i> <i></i> <i></i> 0<p>Being surrounded by even the most tiniest bit of negative energy can wreak havoc on not only your mood but your entire personality. Bit by bit, you realize that the toxicity of your environment has started to seep into your soul, making you an overall negative person. You exude less warmth than you used to and are happier less often than before. Noticing these negative cues is the first step to recovery. Once you realize all that is around you that needs changing to boost your mood, you can set about changing your life one thing at a time.</p> <h2>You have trouble sleeping</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-1-jpg.jpeg"/>shutterstock.com <p>A great marker for how much negative energy you let in your life can be how well you sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, chances are you are stressed and unhappy with the way your life is going. Falling asleep to negative thoughts is not only arduous but also lessens the quality of your sleep, making you irritable and drowsy. Every time you close your eyes, you find yourself plagued by negative thoughts and the more time you spend thinking about all these negative things, the more stressed you become.</p> <h2>Criticism affects you greatly</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-2-jpg.jpeg"/>shutterstock.com <p>Being in a constantly negative frame of mind makes you take criticism, even the constructive kind, a bit too seriously. You forget to take things lightly and end up taking everything that people say about you, to your heart. Instead of letting things go, you let people’s opinions about you consume all your energy. You take people’s advice negatively instead of taking it as an opportunity to learn from your flaws and grow as a person.</p> <h2>You are very emotional</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-3-jpg.jpeg"/>shutterstock.com <p>Emotions tend to sway you very easily. You are highly sensitive to emotional cues to the limit that in an incredibly stressful situation, you lose all sense of who you really are. You tend to get overwhelmed at the slightest indications that things might not go the way you intended or hoped. However, letting your emotions call the shots can be a dangerous game. You should remember that emotions are volatile and unpredictable and should be under your control instead of vice versa.</p> <h2>You have trouble trying new things</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-4-jpg.jpeg"/>shutterstock.com <p>You are so scared of being judged and criticized that you have stopped trying to move out of what you consider your comfort zone and make a genuine effort to experience new things. Instead of stepping out into the world and bucketing new experiences, you tend to lock yourself up in your room. You need to realize that when it comes to making yourself happy, people’s opinions hold no weight and one should never shy away from embracing new things.</p> <h2>Things don’t excite you anymore</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-5-jpg.jpeg"/>shutterstock.com <p>While you may have memories from your past of being an active part of the things that gave you immense pleasure, the memories are nothing but foggy recollections. Nothing makes you as happy as it used to. While that might make your cause sound hopeless, you need to realize that being happy is not something that just happens. In fact, being happy is something you actively make efforts towards achieving.</p> <h2>You worry too much</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-6-jpg.jpeg"/>shutterstock.com <p>You find it hard to look for a moment of peace amidst the constant tug of worries pulling at the back of your head. Fighting the unending battle against these worries is what consumes most of your time and energy. All this time and energy be more useful when spent on something more constructive that would make a defining positive impact on your life.</p> <h2>You are constantly comparing yourself to others</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-7-jpg.jpeg"/>shutterstock.com <p>A popular way to invite negativity into your life is by constantly comparing what we have or what we have achieved to other people’s accomplishments and goals. You obsess over flaws and minor shortcomings, even when you know it is human to be imperfect.</p> <p>You need to accept the fact that everyone has flaws. More often than not, you are just being too hard on yourself. Instead of trying to live up to the superficial standards set by other people and their lives, you should try to appreciate the life you have worked hard to create for yourself. If you aren’t proud of yourself, who will be?</p> <h2>You look to others for direction</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-8-jpg.jpeg"/>shutterstock.com <p>The only person who can cater exactly to what you need is you. No one will be able to prioritize your wants and needs like you can because no one knows you better than you know yourself. If for some reason, you believe that you can find happiness by looking towards other people you couldn’t be more wrong. While other people can offer guidance and advice, every person must pave their own road to success, happiness, and fulfillment. You really are your only true savior.</p> <h2>You don’t understand how you feel</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-9-jpg.jpeg"/>shutterstock.com <p>If you constantly find yourself feeling overwhelmed by your emotions, you might be spending too much time dealing with negative energy. Every time we have trouble processing emotions, we tend to stifle them, thus compounding the problem further. While it is normal to sometimes feel overwhelmed by the intensity of your emotions, you need to find a way to get on top of the entire situation.</p> <p>Instead of trying to back your way out of feeling things, you should embrace how you feel. Stressing about your feelings is futile because it is a known fact that all emotional reactions eventually pass. Instead of hiding inside your shell and missing out on life, you should try to find the strength within you to wade through life’s murky waters.</p> <h2>You feel drained</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-10-jpg.jpeg"/>shutterstock.com <p>All this worrying has you feeling on edge and has drained the positivity and vitality right out of you. Spending time surrounded by all this negativity is bound to take a toll on not only your mood but also your mental and physical health. Every time you feel overwhelmed, you should take a step back to reevaluate your life and priorities to get a clear head. There is no shame to be felt in taking some time off for yourself!</p> <h2>You are overworked</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-11-jpg.jpeg"/>shutterstock.com <p>Caught in the middle of a hectic work schedule and a busy daily routine, you are caught running between one chore to another. In circumstances like these, it is hard not to let the negativity induced by stress and anxiety get to you. You can reduce the severity of the pressure you feel by letting yourself kick back and relax for once. Indulge yourself with a relaxing massage or take a small vacation. You will be surprised to find that you will return with increased vigor and renewed enthusiasm, both of which will make you accomplish your goals better and faster.</p> <h2>You’re depressed</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-12-jpg.jpeg"/>shutterstock.com <p>If you have noticed symptoms that can be linked directly to depression, it is a clear sign of how the persistent negative energy in your life is affecting your mental health. Depression is not a refusal to be happy, in fact, the nature of the disease makes you incapable of being so. Instead of not taking this condition seriously, you should seek medical help immediately.</p> <h2>You have trouble relaxing</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-13-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock.com <p>Shutting your brain off seems like a hassle you can not seem to get around. No matter what you do, negative thoughts keep tugging at the back of your head, luring you into thinking negatively where it is not required. You feel like you are not doing enough or are missing out on something big when in reality all you are doing is making yourself more miserable. Whenever you feel like your head might burst from the sheer stress of it all, remember to focus on what is important and take a moment to calm yourself down before things get any worse.</p> <h2>You spend too much time in isolation</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-14-jpg.jpeg"/>shutterstock.com <p>Spending excessive amounts of time alone can be a trigger that sets of bouts of negative behavior. Not only can it be a direct cause, but it can also do so by causing depression or other ailments all linked directly to negative behavior. Moreover, the chances are that the time you spend alone are being spent hogging social media. The competition exhibited on social media platforms does not encourage mental growth and could further worsen your condition. While you don’t have to spend the entire day socializing, making an occasional effort to engage with other people would not hurt.</p> <h2>You talk yourself down all the time</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-15-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock.com <p>Having self-deprecating talk can get in the way of generating a positive self-image. Telling yourself, you can’t do something or don’t look good will trick your brain into believing both these things. On the other hand, having an optimistic outlook on yourself and your abilities will make you more enthusiastic and better equipped at handling tasks. Reminding yourself of how truly awesome you are, motivates you to keep pushing forward rather than give up when things get hard.</p> <h2>You tend to overcomplicate things</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-16-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock.com <p>You never let things come easy for you. If things seem to be going smoothly, you tend to induce negativity by over thinking about everything that could potentially go wrong. Not everything has to be that hard!</p> <h2>You see the worst in others</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-17-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock.com <p>It is a known fact that we mirror not only the energy, but also the body language of everyone who is around you. If you keep feeling like you are surrounded by toxic people, it might actually be your own negative aura glaring right back at you. Therefore, it is important to step back and assess your position and attitude before pointing any fingers. If you realize that the toxicity is indeed emanating from you, it is never too late to take a breather and make a conscious effort to work on yourself and the vibe you exude. Check yourself before you wreck yourself!</p> <h2>You’re pessimistic about everything</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-18-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock.com <p>Even when things are looking up you can’t help but feel like they are just about to go wrong, making your life explode all over you. Instead of being relaxed and happy that your life is running smoothly, you continue to invite toxicity into your life by thinking of the worst possible scenarios. You should be careful not to jinx your luck and thank your stars, instead of waiting for your life to fall through.</p> <h2>You have trust issues</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/c-users-zainab-afridi-downloads-3-10-2258-19-jpg.jpeg"/>Shutterstock.com <p>You doubt everyone and everything. From the people you surround yourself with, to your very own capabilities, everything is up for unwarranted scrutiny. By generating doubt about everyone who tried to get close to you, you not only make your life harder but also end up isolating yourself. While a few people might indeed be a negative influence on your life, it is absurd to judge everyone by the same standards. Loosen up and let people in!</p> <i></i>