There is no doubt that the world is filled with negativity. We cannot escape the abundance of negative and toxic people, activities, or news.

However, the choice is ours to allow or not allow this negative and toxic element to take up residence in our mind.

Robert Tew makes a powerful suggestion: “Don’t let negative and toxic people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out.”

A few ideas might help when considering what to do when negativity exists.

Avoid as much as possible. Caution should be given to what we listen to or read.

Learn to walk away or turn it off. Subjecting ourselves to negativity when it begins will not achieve positive results.

Find positive people to spend time with daily. A few minutes with a positive influence lifts the spirit like nothing else.

Be the most enthusiastic person you know. Positive reinforcement is biblical; “for as he thinks within himself, so he is” (Prov. 23:7).

The choice is ours to make, but leadership cannot thrive when the mind dwells on negative and toxic influence (cf. Phil. 4:8).