Allowing yourself to live with toxic sources in your life is damaging to your self care routines. When you allow yourself to constantly face toxicity each day, any work you put toward repairing and refreshing your mind, body, and spirit through self care rituals is completely undone.
Rather than continuing to allow toxicity to negatively affect your self care routines, determine exactly what in your life is toxic and eliminate it.
What are the signs of toxicity in your life?
Toxicity can arise in a few different forms. Consider these common ones:
Toxic friends
Some friendships can be incredibly toxic. For example, you may have a friend who constantly belittles you, makes you feel bad about yourself, or uses you for their own personal gains. Sometimes, they may seem like a friend, but any true signs of friendship are overshadowed by cruel, negative treatment or behaviors toward you.
Toxic romantic relationships
Not every match is made in heaven. If your partner is dragging you down by making you feel bad about yourself, causing problems in your life, or making you miserable, there’s a good chance that they are a source of toxicity in your life.
Toxic familial relationships
Family members, including parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and beyond, can also present toxicity in your life. Despite sharing familial bonds, your relatives can create unpleasant sources of toxicity in your life.
Toxic workplaces
Workplaces are a common source of toxicity. Whether you are working under immense amounts of pressure with little relief, terrible supervisors, or rude coworkers, a bad workplace environment can bring about lots of toxicity in your life.
What are some strategies for ending sources of toxicity in your life?
Cutting ties with anyone or anything – even if they’re highly toxic – can be emotionally challenging. After all, even toxic relationships still hold some kind of significant meaning to you. It’s okay to feel conflicted about a toxic relationship. Sometimes, people and other sources of toxicity can be enjoyable, but when they show their negative sides, it’s an instant reminder of why good self care involves eliminating them from your life.
Fortunately, there are some strategies you can use to make ending a source of toxicity in your life a little easier.
Be open and honest in your communication.
Explain to someone exactly why they (or something else) is creating toxic, negative energy in your life. It may be tempting to “sugar coat” the situation to protect feelings, but you have the authority to be honest about how you are feeling and what your experience has been like. Open and honest communication is the most effective way to explain to someone why you need to end a toxic situation for yourself.
When you set a boundary, stand by it.
When you limit your exposure to a toxic person or situation, they may try to test your boundaries by trying to pull you back into old habits and patterns. When this happens, it’s easy to fall back on the familiar – even if it was causing you pain! In these situations, stand firmly by your boundary.
Focus on the positives.
Ending (or even slightly altering) your relationship with something toxic can be heartbreaking. It’s tough to see a relationship with someone or something change drastically, even if it is for your own good. In these situations, try your best to focus on the positives of ending or changing your toxic relationship – keeping your “eye on the prize” makes it easier to stand firmly by your boundaries and protect yourself.
