Whether or not you’d classify them as toxic people, we all have difficult relationships in our lives. Whether it’s the overbearing mother-in-law, the demeaning manager, or the abusive spouse, problematic relationships are a fact of life for everybody.
And while the best way to handle truly toxic people or abusive relationships is often to cut them out, many of us don’t have that luxury, which means we must learn how to handle those relationships better—in a respectful way of both the other person and ourselves.
Dealing with toxic relationships can feel hopeless at times. But there are ways to handle them better, even if simply cutting those people out of your life isn’t an option.
Learn to distinguish true guilt from fake guilt. If you want to resist emotional manipulation, validate your sadness and express your pity for others—just don’t call it guilt.
Hope for the best but expect the worst. Unrealistic expectations give the illusion of control and temporary emotional relief that go with it. But ultimately, they just make us even more miserable.
Know the difference between assertiveness and aggressiveness. To manage toxic people effectively, you must be able to set boundaries. And the only way to set effective boundaries is to know how to be assertive without being aggressive.
