Toxic behaviors can suck the energy and happiness out of you. They can make you doubt your sense of reality, logic, and even sanity. They can threaten your dignity and undermine your self-confidence.
So, if you want to protect yourself from all this and live a peaceful and happy life, make sure you never tolerate these toxic behaviors:
1. SCAPEGOATING
Individuals that are immature, manipulative, selfish, and deceitful hardly ever take responsibility for their actions. They can make mistakes and hurt your feelings countless times, but they will never own up to it or apologize to you for it. They’ll do their best to pin the blame for their mistakes and bad behavior on you and make you apologize for things that are not even your fault.
2. CONTROL
Control can come in various forms. When someone tries to impose their ideas and beliefs on you, or when they don’t allow you to express your opinions, likes, and dislikes, or when they don’t allow you to be yourself around them, or when they make you doubt your own perceptions, feelings, and sanity – these are all forms of control.
If you notice that someone is trying to exert control on you, make sure you let them know you’re an independent, strong, and confident person and you have no intention of putting up with their controlling behavior.
3. LACK OF COMPASSION
Life is difficult as it is, so there is no need to make it harder by surrounding yourself with people who are incapable of feeling empathy and compassion. People who are incapable of treating others with respect, kindness, and dignity. People who only love and care about themselves.
4. PERSISTENT NEGATIVITY
Over the course of your life, you get to meet two types of people: those that radiate positive energy and make you feel good about yourself and those that ooze negativity and suck all the energy and happiness out of you.
People that constantly express negative thoughts can be detrimental to your mental and emotional well-being and disruptive to your personal growth.
5. GASLIGHTING
Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse in which a person uses your own insecurities and self-doubt to manipulate you into doubting your sense of reality, thoughts, feelings, and even sanity. They convince you that an event never occurred or that some words were never said in an effort to make you question your own perceptions and logic.
6. UNDERMINING YOUR SUCCESSES
Those who envy your happiness and success will always try to undermine your achievements and successes. They’ll do everything in their power to make your successes appear as if they aren’t a big deal. Why?
Because by undermining your successes, they make themselves feel and look superior to everyone else.
7. POINTING OUT YOUR FLAWS
Surrounding yourself with individuals who criticize your looks, constantly point out your insecurities and fears, or like to tell humiliating stories about you to others can greatly impact the way you perceive yourself and damage your self-esteem.
What you should always remember is that those who truly love you and care about you will never focus on your weaknesses and imperfections. Instead, they’ll always focus on your qualities.
