Are you someone who likes to complain about your life without ever doing anything to change it? Or are you the person who always has good things happening in their own life, but doesn’t want to be too obnoxious about it? If so, there’s a chance you might be a bit of a toxic person.
I recently learned that there are dozens of different ways an individual can be toxic. I was surprised by some of them, and shocked by others. After learning these 15 ways, I hope that any reading this list will take the time to reflect on their own behavior and see if they can commit themselves to improving it.
There is a certain kind of person who uses things like phrases like, “If you want something, and you’re willing to work for it, and most people aren’t willing to do that,” and “Democracy only works if most people think the same way.” They believe that somehow this would be beneficial to society. If you need a certain religion or political party in power in order to tolerate the negative parts of your life, then these types of people are toxic.
It’s important to realize that since there are so many different ways toxic individuals can be harmful, these 15 shouldn’t be taken as all-encompassing or detailed. It’s also worth mentioning that some of what follows may be difficult to read. So if you find yourself seeing the negative aspects of yourself, please keep in mind that it’s OK to not be OK with your own behavior. I’m here to support you however I can.
1. Toxic people complain ALL THE TIME.
Putting your complaints aside and realizing that some people don’t want to hear them is a great start. Silence is a choice, and a positive one. I love all of the fine people who don’t seem to think they’re better than anyone else, and realize that not everyone has the same goals or priorities as they do.
2. Toxic people are pessimistic to a fault.
Even if you have an answer for everything, try to take some time each day to think about the things you have no answer for. If you can’t come up with any, it’s possible that everyone sees this as your weakness, and you may want to work on trying something new. There may also be times where being optimistic is more important than being realistic…
