Toxic relationships don’t just happen in couples. Any type of relationship, be it friendship, family or work, is susceptible to poisoning and becoming toxic. We tend to think that it is the other person who steals our energy, but it would not hurt to do a little self criticism. What if I am a toxic person? Don’t be surprised to find out the answer, because we’ve all been toxic with someone at some point in life. The important thing is to realize and, above all, follow the steps to stop being so.
How do I know if I am a toxic person?
- You don’t need to define yourself as a toxic person, but you do need to do a bit of self-criticism or an introspection exercise to find out if you’re behaving in a toxic way in a relationship. We insist that we are not just talking about a couple. Watch out for signs of toxic behavior.
- If you don’t like yourself, if you have many internal conflicts, if your vital contradictions are the norm, if you don’t value yourself, don’t appreciate yourself or even have low self-esteem… You may have a certain tendency towards toxicity.
- If you don’t like your life, if you feel cheated, if you don’t find meaning in life, if the frustration is constant, you are very close to toxic behavior.
- If you are never to blame, if others are always responsible, if life is against you or if you think you were born with bad luck, be careful! Because maybe you are the toxic person.
- If you have a low tolerance for frustration, if you get angry when things don’t go your way, or if you argue with close people when they don’t react as you expected, it’s time to develop your emotional intelligence.
- If you are envious of others, if you believe that others have more opportunities than you, if life always smiles at another and that causes you discomfort and irritation, you may be a bit toxic.
- If you manipulate, if you blackmail, if you want others to dance to what you play, if you need to be the center of attention or need the approval of others, it is also a sign of toxic behavior.
Do you identify with any of these behaviors? Relax, there is a solution.
How to stop being a toxic person
- Of course you can stop being a toxic person, but for that you have to recognize that you are. Once you recognize your toxicity, it is not something you have to accept as a part of your personality or your character. Do not stay with your arms crossed thinking “I am like this”. You are not like that, you are not a toxic person, but at the moment you are behaving as such.
- Stop being or behaving like a toxic person requires effort and honesty with yourself. Being honest, being able to talk to the people around you so that they tell you without rancor in what way you are hurting. The time will come to apologize, but the first thing is to stop being toxic.
- Think about what respect really means, that others are worth as much as you are even if they are different, neither more nor less. Think about what mistakes we all make and they do not have to define us, think that others have the right to be happy, to be themselves and to enjoy life even if you are having a hard time.
- It is about respect and also about generosity. But above all it is about independence and self-esteem. An independent person does not hold others, nor life, nor the gods responsible for their ills. An independent person takes charge of his life without interfering in that of others. And a person with good self-esteem doesn’t need to turn off others to shine on their own.