Have you ever looked at an inanimate object and saw life? Today, I walked into my kitchen and I looked at the dry sponge sitting on the counter and thought to myself, some people use to make me feel just like that sponge. They truly just suck the life out of me. So much so that I become unproductive for periods of time. Believe it or not, there are people in life that can leave you feeling completely useless after dealing with them. It is hard to recover and have a productive day after dealing with these emotional blood suckers. I am sure if that sponge could speak it would want to be filled with water and soap and fulfilling its duties of washing the dishes.
Today’s term for these people is Toxic.
My definition of a Toxic Person is someone you encounter that emotionally drains you. Someone who causes you to have a physical reaction of exhaustion once you leave their presence.
- Have you ever looked at the caller ID and had to take a deep breath then exhale slow before answering the call?
- Have you ever been on the phone speaking with someone and find yourself rolling your eyes and staring at the receiver mouthing the words, shut up?
- Have you ever tried to have a conversation with your significant other and they consistently disregard your point of view within that conversation?
- Do you have that friend or family member that sees a fight in everything and enjoys wallowing in negativity?
- Do you have that insecure person in your life that is constantly seeking reassurance from you and anyone of the opposite sex?
- Do you have the most extreme case of the toxic person, which is the physical abuser in your life?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you have just overcome the first hurdle. Just being able to recognize that there is a toxic person in your life is crucial to taking the next step on how to remove that person from your life completely or create some distance between the two of you.
If you’ve read my book, Me, Myself, and Men, then you know that I have experience several toxic people on my journey to self-love. Self-love is not just about self-esteem. Self-love meant that I would not tolerate anything or anyone that caused me anxiety.
I am one of those people who only knows the basic functions of a cellphone. While trying to rid myself of toxic people, I learn that the block feature was an absolute Godsent function. I used this feature on friends and family. I was determined not to let anyone make me feel like a dried-up sponge daily.
My experience with dealing with toxic people or personalities forced me to want more for myself than constant aggravation. These people taught me to set personal boundaries for myself. They taught me that deal-breakers are crucial to my mental health. I am grateful for many of the good things that has happened in my life, but I must pay my respects to the turbulence in my life as well. I learn to say goodbye to toxic people and thank you for building my character.
