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When a relationship turns toxic, whether it’s with a friend, a significant other, a colleague, etc., it’s not always intuitive to know what you should do.
Related: 5 Surefire Ways to Identify Toxic People in Your Life
Toxic relationships are tricky. There may be a history involved with this person that makes letting go of them that much harder, or even potential backlash you might have to face should you move on from them.
As hard as it may be to move on from a toxic relationship, holding onto this negative relationship and trying to “make it work” can actually backfire and have far worse consequences. Simply put: toxic relationships aren’t healthy. They’re draining and can compromise you in more ways than one, especially the longer you hold on to them.
If you’re in a toxic relationship and trying to move on, use these 5 tips to finally let go.
5 Ways to Let Go of a Toxic Relationship
1. Distance yourself. When faced with a toxic person, it’s easy to forget the reality of the situation and how much they’ve hurt you and/or taken advantage of you, especially if you’re in close proximity to them. Get a better perspective of the situation by distancing yourself from them. Not only will this give you a clearer perspective of the relationship, but it will also give you some time to re-evaluate their behaviors and how they’re actually affecting you. Once you’ve gained a clearer scope of the situation, you’ll find it’s easier to assess where you stand and how you can move past them.
2. Focus on the positive relationships in your life. This tip is especially beneficial if you can distance yourself from the toxic person while surrounding yourself with other positive relationships in your life. But regardless of distance, take the time to focus on the better, healthier relationships in your life. Good friends are what bring out the best in us, and this is a crucial time in which you should be leaning on them to remember why you deserve better.
3. Don’t let the good memories distort your reality. It’s tempting to let those better memories of a toxic person prevail in our minds, rather than accepting the reality of their toxic ways. Don’t let your memories rewrite the present though. If a person is toxic and treating you poorly, it doesn’t matter what they’ve done for you in the past. If they’ve consistently proven they’re toxic, they’re simply not worth it anymore. Force yourself to remember the bad times, both past and present.
4. Know your worth. Life is stressful enough, so why do you need to make it even more stressful and difficult by holding on to this toxic person? You are better than that. You deserve better than that. Don’t let this toxic person diminish your worth and self-value.
5. Take the advice you would give your friend. Think of a friend you really care about, and hypothetically swap positions with them. What would you tell them to do if they were in your shoes? Surely you would want better for them, too. More than likely you would advise them to move on and put themselves first for their own health and well-being. So why shouldn’t you do the same?
