Just as we wish to remove toxins from our food, peace of mind requires removal of toxic people from our daily experience. Absorbing repeated doses of negativity counters your efforts towards personal growth and happiness.
Identifying toxicity in others is crucial but it’s just as if not more important to identify these traits in yourself. After all, you’re with you 24 hours a day. That little voice in your head better be in line with what you want out of life. Here are five characteristics of toxic people to help you recognize behaviors to avoid:
1. They always see themselves as the definitive realists.
Phrases such as “get real,” “come to your senses” and “I told you so” live on the edge of their lips. Although these sentiments may at times be warranted, toxic individuals derive a sense of unmistakable pleasure from uttering them.
They will swear they’re doing you a favor or saving you in some way, but not one ounce of compassion will drip from their words. Condescension paired with satisfaction is their hallmark. Always pay attention to the energy beneath someone’s words. Toxicity is always palpable.
2. They tend to hate everything.
Negative people rarely see goodness anywhere. Finding the downside of anything is their specialty. They tend to negate without discrimination even when they haven’t experienced the things they talk about.
Their lens distorts all aspects of life and as a result they leave no room for wonder or possibility. Do not allow their shadows to block your light.
3. They believe their experience is for everyone.
Toxic people have a habit as using their experience as the benchmark. They will recount their sad stories to serve as proof of life’s injustices. Not only will they use them as a compass for their own navigation, they will use it to judge yours as well.
If their business failed, it’s the reason you shouldn’t start a business. If their heart was broken, you need to run the other way in your relationship. Do not allow their past to dictate your future.
4. They suck the energy out of a room.
There is an unmistakable drop in vitality when toxicity enters a space. The longer the interaction with such an individual, the more drained you feel upon leaving.
Strong, negative personalities draw us out of ourselves. They siphon our energy reserves especially if we meet them head on with resistance. Rather than engage their toxicity, gracefully bow out where you can. Self-preservation is key.
5. They detest genuine optimism.
Being positive doesn’t mean ignoring the ugliness that life sometimes offers. It just means understanding that things don’t have to remain the same. People who strongly believe in this perspective ultimately keep toxicity away.
Optimism is the ultimate threat to negative people. Why? Because it challenges their whole worldview. The mental shifts they would have to make are enormous, so rather than be around positivity, they try to poke holes it in and then run. (Note: This behavior is often exhibited by internet trolls.)
In conclusion, toxicity is usually easy to recognize, although some are exceptionally skilled as disguising their toxicity as genuine concern for you. It takes a little more discernment to see these individuals clearly. It takes even more discernment to recognize these traits in your own behavior.
If you don’t see these characteristics within yourself, congratulations. If you take a close look at your circle and that’s all you see around you, you may not be being honest with yourself.
Whether it’s them or it’s you, it just may be time to detox! Happy healing!
About the Author: Dr. F. Emelia Sam is an oral & maxillofacial surgeon by day and a soul-centered scribe at heart. More interested in mending broken spirits than in mending broken bones, she has authored personal development books including: I Haven’t Found Myself but I’m Still Looking and How to Create the Life You Really Want: 20 Small Strategies for Big Changes. Her numerous articles have been featured on Huffington Post Women, Third Metric, and GPS for the Soul. Dr. Sam created the 360SOUL community which explores themes of life, love, and liberation from a soul-centered perspective.
Replies
YOU ARE THE TOXIC ONE, IF, AND SAY ONLY IF HERE, YOU DON'T COMMUNICATE PROPERLY, AND HOLD AN INDIVIDUAL TO SELF CORRECT. AGAIN, THE TRULY TOXIC UNFRIENDS, WILL REJECT HONEST PEOPLE EVERY TIME; MAKES THEM TOO GUILTY TO HANG AROUND HONEST.
There are so many people on psychotropic drugs. I think some of them are over exposed to negative people to the point that it's become a constant realty of their daily environment. Thank you for this post, it's definitely worth sharing.
Yes, Voncille it's sad that so many people do not know how to deal with all the negativity that surrounds them on a daily basis. You're very welcome...I'm glad it was of value to you.
How can you heal/help these kind of people?
Yep, Sylvain!
Agreed, Nancy...we all seem to have someone in our life like this...a learning experience for everyone.
Thanks Feather and I also agree with Oprah!
avatar, communicate then, if you thank i am toxic. so you can help me. but you don't need me. .....how does oprah treat people she does not need?
I do not think you're toxic, conscious pi...I do not even know you on a personal level. If you think you are a toxic person then become self aware and do what you need to do to fix it. I really cannot speak to Oprah and how she treats people personally but I do know she tries to help people and offers many wise sayings and for that I admire her.
~Energetic Vampirism goes hand in hand with the Archontic forces on the Gaian-Matrix who use 'toxic people' to help generate one on their primary forms of sustenance... fear. By continuing to promote divisive energies, they have created a low-grade domino effect that easily attracts ultra 'negative' typologies to effectively perpetuate their agenda... which is ultimately to stop Humanity from regaining Unity-Consciousness. Thankfully... as our 12-Strand DNA continues to come online, we move ever closer to 'remembering' who we really are. We've forgotten that as biophysical extensions of the Gaian-Mind, we are in fact, One. & equally as significant... that we wield one of the most Powerful agents of change known in the Omniverse... POSITIVE INTENTION! ~InLight555
Live if You want to Live
Rastaman Vibration, yeah! Positive!
That's what we got to give!
I'n'I Vibration yeah! Positive
Got to have a Good Vibe!...
If you get down and you quarrel everyday,
You're saying prayers to the devils, I say. Wo-oh-ooh!
Why not help one another on the way?
Make it much easier. (Just a little bit easier)
Say you just can't live that negative way,
If you know what I mean;
Make way for the Positive Day,
'Cause it's news (new day) - news and days -
New time (new time), and if it's a new feelin' (new feelin'), yeah! -
Said it's a New Sign:
Oh, what a New Day!... ~Bob Marley
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