Unsubscribe

JH’s sister sent this one word message in response to an email his ex circulated to friends and family:

Unsubscribe.

Short and sweet, but powerful. Sometimes saying less is saying more. Saying nothing at all can become the equivalent of yelling through a microphone.

To subscribe to something means you’re engaged with it. It means it matters enough to consume a piece of your time and energy while you review it. It means you value it in some way — and in turn that person/establishment is validated itself. They build a following, and they like the attention.

In the age of Facebook, Twitter and instant messaging/texting, any fool can create a large following/ruckus almost instantly by doing one of two things: Starting drama and telling lies. We’ve all seen this happen too many times. Sadly, in an era where many shout first and ask for facts later, rumors and gossip spread like a vicious wildfire, and innocent people are hurt in the turmoil. We all know at least one person who delights in talking about others — especially when it comes to detailing their misfortunes and validating their own existence.

Rise above engaging in their selfish behavior.

Don’t subscribe to people who don’t deserve your attention. By constantly downloading their chaos into your life, you’re unknowingly uploading negativity and frustration into your modus operandi. Before long — it may take a while — the behaviors and attitudes you’re reading about (subscribing to) will affect you. They will nag at you and create bitterness in your heart.

Unsubscribe from drama, childishness, gossip, lies, untruths, distortion of the facts, manipulation, anger, rebelliousness, disrespect, unkindness, hate-speak, slander, antagonism, pride, stubbornness and delighting in the pain of others (I think you get the point by now.)

When you do this — when their audience disappears and their stupid words fall on deaf ears — you diffuse a bomb that’s ticking in your life. They’ll realize that they aren’t important after all. This is more powerful than you think.

Subscribe instead to people who empower you, love you, build you up and reinforce a life of peace and productivity. Tongue waggers are time wasters.

Unsubscribe from the foolishness. Your life will be better for it.