Take Out the Trash

carrying out trash

When thinking about our wellness, what typically comes to mind are the things we need to add to our daily routines – things like exercise, mindfulness, more fruits and vegetables, and time-management strategies. Those are certainly important for our wellness. But enhancing our wellness also requires removing things that are obstacles to our well-being. In other words, we often need to think about taking out the trash!

Several years ago, sanitation workers in New York City went on strike. Soon trash began to pile up along the city’s streets. The mounds of trash were unsightly and they smelled awful. The trash that interferes with our wellness is really awful too, but often we can’t see it and therefore, we may not address it.

So what trash do we need to take out to be more well? Here are some things that are common to many of us:

  • Negative and self-defeating self-talk
  • Jealousy and envy
  • Bitterness and resentment
  • A tendency to overreact to situations
  • Feelings of entitlement
  • Difficulty delaying gratification
  • Relying on unhealthy coping behaviors such as substance misuse and isolation

While those pieces of trash are common obstacles to wellness, there also may be particular things that we each should consider removing from our lives. A friend, or perhaps a counselor, can help us to identify them. Once we recognize them, we can work to take out that trash! 

Related Stories

Health

Concert, Art Exhibit Celebrate End of Two-Week Arts Program for Individuals with Aphasia

Families, friends and members of the Lubbock community showed their support for the arts and those with aphasia at a June 12 concert and art exhibit marking the end of a two-week arts camp.

Health

Measles Outbreak: What to Know From The Future of Health

Kelissa Huse, an assistant professor and laboratory manager in the Molecular Pathology Program at TTUHSC, spoke about measles, the outbreak and what West Texans needs to know about the disease.

Health

Covenant Health Brings Kidney Transplant Surgery Back to West Texas

The Kidney Transplant Program at Covenant Medical Center will provide life-changing opportunities for patients suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and chronic kidney conditions.

Recent Stories

Education

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Earns SACSCOC Recognition

TTUHSC has received a clean bill of health from the regional accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), following a Fifth-Year Interim Review by a committee from peer institutions.

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Rural Adolescents

Leigh Ann Reel, Au.D., Ph.D., CCC-A, discussed the causes and prevention strategies for noise-induced hearing loss, particularly for adolescents in rural areas.

Research

TTUHSC Amarillo Awarded $50,000 Grant for Cutting-Edge Cancer Research

TTUHSC in Amarillo has received a $50,000 grant from the Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation to support groundbreaking cancer research led by Hiranmoy Das, Ph.D.