In the field of computer science GIGO stands for garbage in garbage out.

In simple terms what this means is that the information you get from a computer is only as good as the information you put in to it. So how does that apply to you? Well, your brain is essentially the best computer the world has ever seen and also works in a similar manner. If you feed it garbage then that’s what you’ll experience.

Some of the most common forms of garbage people feed their brains with are:

Gossip. The he said she said that goes on every day. Fueling rumors about other people based on hearsay. Talking negatively about other people when they are not present also gives you the insecurity that people will talk about you when you’re not present.

Media. Books, TV and movies that feed you stories about how bad the world is. This especially applies to ‘The News.’ Today’s news programs are designed to create fear and negativity and ultimately sell you advertising. Since your brain is programmed for survival it will always be more attuned to negative news, so exposing it to more negativity reinforces the feeling that the world is a bad and dangerous place.

Negative language. Recent studies show that children that are exposed to negative language and continued stressful situations actually have smaller brain sizes than children from healthy homes.

As well as being extremely powerful your brain is also very vulnerable to external influences. It absorbs information and events constantly and is continuously trying to make sense of the world. So, the best thing you can do for your brain and ultimately yourself is to expose it to a healthy environment and as many positive situations as you can.