It would probably be somewhat easier if toxic people were like pesticides or noxious cleaning chemicals. We'd instinctively avoid them. And unless life circumstances required us to be near them, we'd keep away. There'd be no confused feelings.
But I think most toxic people are more like junk food. You know you should stay away from them, but sometimes being around them just tastes so yum. You know your guard should be up, but you put it down. Later you regret it, because you know they have probably done further damage to yourself.
Some delicious toxic people are obvious with their negative traits. They're like funnel cakes or Cheetos—obvious junk food. No moderately intelligent person would be fooled into thinking these foods are healthy for you!
In terms of people, you can easily see their self-centeredness, their cruelness, their attraction to danger, etc. But they have positive traits that make you want to ignore the negative.
Then other delicious toxic people are like "all natural", fat-free, non-gmo "healthy" cereal. It seems wholesome until we look closely and see how much sugar is in a serving. In terms of people, they seem wonderful at first, but with experience and education, we begin to realize there's a dark side.
I can take this analogy even farther.
So....
It's hard to actually find a perfect food. For example, yesterday I was reading about how brown rice has arsenic.
It works the same with people. Most of us are at least a little bit toxic.
And some foods are okay for some while the same food is bad for others. The same goes for people. The person that's very toxic towards us might be nutritious to someone else.
My main issue, though, is with the junk food -toxic people. What should we do about those that are moderately-severely toxic towards us, but we have a hard time staying away, because they also have traits that we enjoy.
I'm guessing the key is...moderation.
Also, we recently spent time with someone who is into clean eating/paleo-dieting. She cheated a tiny bit while with us, and we talked about how she would detox when she got home.
So, maybe that should be part of it too. After we spend time with toxic people, we need to somehow detox. I'm not sure how. Maybe....
Meditate? Watch a favorite TV show. Take a walk. Give love to a cat or dog. Spend time with people who are much less toxic. Read motivational stuff. Read stuff that will remind us how healthy interactions and relationships should work....
All that might help a bit. Hopefully.
But I think most toxic people are more like junk food. You know you should stay away from them, but sometimes being around them just tastes so yum. You know your guard should be up, but you put it down. Later you regret it, because you know they have probably done further damage to yourself.
Some delicious toxic people are obvious with their negative traits. They're like funnel cakes or Cheetos—obvious junk food. No moderately intelligent person would be fooled into thinking these foods are healthy for you!
In terms of people, you can easily see their self-centeredness, their cruelness, their attraction to danger, etc. But they have positive traits that make you want to ignore the negative.
Then other delicious toxic people are like "all natural", fat-free, non-gmo "healthy" cereal. It seems wholesome until we look closely and see how much sugar is in a serving. In terms of people, they seem wonderful at first, but with experience and education, we begin to realize there's a dark side.
I can take this analogy even farther.
So....
It's hard to actually find a perfect food. For example, yesterday I was reading about how brown rice has arsenic.
It works the same with people. Most of us are at least a little bit toxic.
And some foods are okay for some while the same food is bad for others. The same goes for people. The person that's very toxic towards us might be nutritious to someone else.
My main issue, though, is with the junk food -toxic people. What should we do about those that are moderately-severely toxic towards us, but we have a hard time staying away, because they also have traits that we enjoy.
I'm guessing the key is...moderation.
Also, we recently spent time with someone who is into clean eating/paleo-dieting. She cheated a tiny bit while with us, and we talked about how she would detox when she got home.
So, maybe that should be part of it too. After we spend time with toxic people, we need to somehow detox. I'm not sure how. Maybe....
Meditate? Watch a favorite TV show. Take a walk. Give love to a cat or dog. Spend time with people who are much less toxic. Read motivational stuff. Read stuff that will remind us how healthy interactions and relationships should work....
All that might help a bit. Hopefully.