Toxic People

RANDom thought: Who is toxic in your life?

Toxic people, do you know any? Do you have any in your life today?
We have all been married to, worked with, or have family members we would define as toxic. For the Boss Lady Podcast this week, I interviewed a relationship expert, Sarah Ramsey. She defined toxic people as “those who never learned to share.” I think that is an interesting definition, and as I look back on my life, I find that true.

The toxic people I have encountered were usually focused on one thing: themselves. Sound familiar to you?
So how do we get rid of this toxicity in our life? I suggest moving forward, setting a plan, and working on the plan. I realize that it is not always straightforward but can always be done.

Reach out to a therapist, a relationship expert, or a trusted friend. However, be sure you are asking for guidance, not agreement, on why you should remain in a toxic relationship or, worst yet, what you can do to fix it. The reality is you cannot fix or change another person!

Sarah calls this “the smart person syndrome.” These are people who are intelligent and usually very successful in business. They have almost always been able to solve problems, make good grades, and get things done. So, when dealing with a toxic person, whether personally or professionally, we use the same tactics and then wonder what we are doing wrong that it is not working!

When you put this in black and white, it does not make rational sense when dealing with another human. We are not GOD! No matter how smart we are, we cannot control, change, or fix another human, be it a co-worker, an employee, a child, or a partner.

So, why do we often spend months, even years, before we finally take action and get this person out of our life or off our team? That is not an easy question, but one that is important to ask. Although, through the years, I have rid myself of several toxic people, personally and professionally, I am NOT a relationship expert. Therefore, I will not attempt to give much advice on this subject. Instead, I will encourage you to listen to this week’s podcast, which will drop on July 21st. Sarah has a lot of great advice on this topic.

You can find out more about her at sarahramsey.org.

Listen in to this week’s Boss Lady Podcast for a deeper dive into this discussion.
https://anchor.fm/the-boss-lady

Remember, as my Grandfather always said, “Take time to stop and smell the roses”!
Until we meet again, take care.

I will discuss this topic more in a FB live mini training on the private Career Cultivators site on Thursday at 3:00 EST. Join me there!

Career Cultivator Facebook