Toxic People

I'm sure I did not coin the term "Toxic People"... I don't recall hearing it before, but it must have been engraved in my subconscious from somewhere. It's far too good for me to have come up with it myself.

Toxic People
I bet everyone has at least one of these people in their life. Some of us have an abundance of them. These are the people who thrive on negativity. The people who love to cause rifts between others. Toxic people do not rejoice when good things happen to others. Instead, they wonder, "Why couldn't that happen to me?" They spoil joyful moments by expressing their own misery. These are the people who talk about others when they aren't around... including you. Toxic people love to be the victim- that allows them to blame others for their lot in life.

It's not always easy to identify a toxic person right away. They don't walk around with the skull and crossbones symbol on their forehead. They don't come with a warning label. They often look like the rest of us... after all, nobody is happy and perfect all the time!

Toxic people become very apparent over time. They usually leave you feeling drained, stressed, used, and generally unhappy. You might think you're helping them, but in reality you're harming yourself and your relationships with those who love you. This is because toxic people suck the joy out of you.

Do you have a toxic person in your life? Perhaps she is an acquaintance. Maybe she is a friend. If you're like me, your toxic person is a family member. Actually, I have several toxic family members but most of them leave me alone.

Here's the thing: I have learned the hard way to keep toxic people- even family members out of my life. Life is too short and precious to spend it griping, complaining, and comparing misery. This may seem harsh... especially when it's family. If it's harsh, I don't care. My own little family is my priority. Anyone who tries to steal my joy, causes friction and stress in my life, or brings me down will not be part of my world.

This post came about because I heard from one of my toxic family members today, who called for the sole purpose of telling me off. I'm just using this blog to vent, I guess. Thanks for letting me get it out.