Most of you probably know the feeling of being your own nemesis. Maybe you’re trying to live up to your standards or fulfill the expectations of others. Or maybe you’re in a catch-22 situation and have difficulties deciding which way to go.
These are just a few examples of intrapersonal conflict. Inner conflicts are very common, but many people don’t realize that they have them and that they have become their own worst enemy.
Inner conflicts are not necessarily bad. They can be the trigger for change and personal growth. However, if an inner conflict is unresolved for a longer time or the person cannot solve it without external help, it can become toxic and chronic.
Your soul is out of balance. Inner conflict means battling with yourself.
You might think I am referring to conflicts between others and us. Your boss, child, or spouse perhaps. However, I am referring to your inner contradictions. The struggle between what you think you “ought” to do and what your heart truly desires.
Not only is conflict inevitable, how we handle it decides about our level of success and happiness. Conflict is the root of paralysis for some, the root of change (personal, social, or relational) for others. Conflict forces us to develop creative responses and solutions and can lead our personal growth.
The term conflict stems from the Latin word “conflicts” and means to strike two things at the same time. Conflicts can arise when we experience something that doesn’t comply with our belief system.
Conflicts occur if we present a person with over one, equally powerful desires or motives present at the same time.
We differentiate between three types of conflict:
1. Intrapersonal Conflicts (or goal conflicts)
2. Interpersonal Conflicts (between individuals)
3. Unconscious Conflicts (repressed, unresolved conflicts)
Let’s look at intrapersonal conflicts in more detail as they are very common.
a) Approach-approach conflict
You have two choices, both will lead to a positive result, but you can only do one or the other. For instance, you love your home town and just found the perfect house you want to buy when you get a terrific job offer in another state.
Buying your dream house means you cannot accept the job offer and v. v.
b) Avoidance-avoidance conflict
You’re forced to decide for one of two negative choices. You cannot avoid both.
For instance, you can either invite your mother-in-law (you don’t get along with) to live with you or pay (almost) more than you can afford for a senior living facility.
c) Approach-avoidance conflict
Probably the most tricky one. The same goal/object has both a positive and negative side. For instance, you get a lucrative job offer, but you know it’s likely a merger will happen, and the job is risky. c) is most tricky because it presents an inner ambivalence.
What these conflicts have in common is that it’s about finding a solution. If you don’t, things turn toxic.
Burdian’s Ass
The philosophical fable by Aristotle (popularized by French philosopher Jean Buridan) is a hypothetical paradox that fits this card.
One variation is the hypothetical situation wherein the donkey is equally hungry and thirsty and stands exactly between a stack of hay and a bucket of water. The paradox assumes that “the ass” will always go to whatever is closer. The donkey cannot make a rational decision between the water and the hay and dies of both hunger and thirst.
Another variation is that the donkey stands between two haystacks of the same size and the donkey starves to death.
The donkey had learned two cognitions: He’ll eat the bigger stack of hay and he will eat the one closer by.
You’ll find resources that help you resolve any inner conflicts you might experience and enhance your cognitive flexibility at the end of this article.
Decisions we must make in our everyday life are far more complex. Both variations come with advantages and disadvantages and they trigger emotions. Emotions are the factor that can make rational decisions (pro / contra evaluation) difficult or even impossible.
In the worst case, the person reacts like the donkey in the fable. They’re paralyzed and make the worst decision - no decision.
If a person feels trapped in a conflict, they might perceive themselves as a victim of circumstances. Keeping the conflict alive has advantages. You can blame others and you need not accept responsibility (as you’d have for a wrong decision.)
The perceived ambivalence is the self-deception of someone who can’t tell what they truly want from what they allegedly want.
Are you your own worst enemy?
A person who has inner conflicts might exhibit some of these behaviors:
It’s easy to see if you experience conflicted vibrations because your life situation will create ample “realities” where you see these conflicts reappearing again and again.
If you have areas that are stressful or you feel unfulfilled and experience disharmony (in any area of your personal life, career, health, relationships, finances), they are mirrors, showing that you carry unresolved conflicts in you.
People who find peace within themselves are the ones who find a sense of “stability” in who they are.
While most people are more attracted to terms such as “success” “power”, inner peace is the most powerful state for living your happiest life.
Knowing who you are, what you want and being content with yourself and your life is the first step of getting what you want.
The quality of your relationships, and therefore success, depends on your ability to handle conflicts.
In my article The Power of Mirror-Neurons I explain how and why others react to conflicts and emotions within us.
Inner conflicts are not just stressful and exhausting for yourself, and the results you are getting, they will also negatively affect the quality of your relationships in the long run.
Self-confidence and inner peace are powerful weapons against deadly stagnation.
Recommended articles:
Letting go of anger with the Sedona method
Recommended training:
Project Phoenix Emotional Intelligence Training
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What these examples have in common is that people felt treated unfairly.
In Business and in live, you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.
Dr. Chester Karass
In my article “Amor Fati – A love of fate“, I state:
If a fire burns fiercely blazing, it doesn’t matter what you throw into it. It doesn’t just tolerate the different fuels, but the variety makes it burn even stronger and brighter.
Aurorasa Sima
What I mean by that is that a large amount of our suffering comes from not accepting our fate.
By accepting things we cannot change, we can reduce the amount of our suffering greatly and have more energy to change the things we can change.
If we fail to do so, we might render our ability to influence change obsolete.
The world is not fair. Lamenting about it and comparing our fate with the fate of our neighbor, doesn’t change that and strips us of energy we can well use to change the parts of our lives we have power over.
My favorite author, Herman Hesse, writes in his book Gertrud:
..You have to learn to love someone so much that their wellbeing is more important than your own. …
Hermann Hesse
We often say that youth is the best time of our lives. Is that really true? An observation I made is that older people are often happier.
The reason is that older people are less selfish.
While we are young, we make everything about ourselves. Even when we think of others, we do so self-referential most of the time. Once we have family and often with age, we start to think about others and often put their well-being before our own.
That makes us happy.
Caring for and about others is a happiness drugs and especially beneficial in times of crisis.
Most of the time, when I use this expression I mean it in the sense of getting through to people.
An World War II poster famously said:
Loose lips sink ships
World War II poster
Crisis like we are facing it right now with the Coronavirus is always a breeding ground for gossip, speculation, and conspiracy theories.
In times like these, it is especially hard not to participate in chatter that, even if not ill-intended, is gossip.
If you think about it, how much of conversations you hear or lead are listening to someone telling you how great they are. And what percentage of conversations you are involved in are about other people.
One of my mentors, Marshall Goldsmith, conveyed an international study and came to the conclusion that on average 70% of communication is wasted.
Wasted to bragging, listen to someone who’s bragging, gossip and chatter.
A fabulous recipe to get better through crisis and any other time is to reduce this number greatly.
Make your words matter.
In her bestselling book Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead Brené Brown states:
Daring greatly means the courage to be vulnerable and be seen. To ask for what you need. To talk about how you’re feeling. To talk about how you’re feeling. To have the hard conversations.
Brené Brown
If you want to thrive in an unfair world, you could look at crisis as opportunity for greatness. People have always needs. We might have to think in new ways and we might have to dare to be seen.
Visualize what’s possible and decide to do something about it.
If the old ways stopped working, go out and find new ways.
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Audioversion:
Hopefully, this article made you smile.
Let's make this year's fest "Acceptmas." A fest of love and gratitude!
Christmas music was playing when Alma pushed her cart towards the register. Not the cashier who handed her a chocolate Santa nor anyone in the jolly crowd picked up on her sadness. Alma’s father died on December 14th.
For many of us, Christmas the happiest time of the year. An event we’re looking forward to all year.
However, some people are afraid.
Because they have lost a loved one or a family member is gravely ill.
Because their best friend has recently experienced loss, and they have no idea how to comfort them.
Because they feel a jolly celebration would be inappropriate.
Because everyone used to come together in the family home that now belongs to someone else.
Even if you made steps toward coping with grief, the first Christmas after a loss tears up old wounds. When grandma’s chair stays empty. When Papa doesn’t dress up as Santa. When the partner you celebrated with is gone.
Often, it’s not just a matter of grief but also unresolved conflicts. Not all surviving dependents treat each other respectfully and lovingly.
Many try to ignore Christmas altogether or travel as far away as they can. However, avoiding grief and sadness by going on a vacation doesn’t work. Sorrow and loneliness can track you anywhere.
It’s better to face the situation and your feelings in familiar surroundings, ideally, with people who can comfort you when you cry.
Simplified, facing your emotions allows you to move on and heal.
So what can you do to help someone in grief? If the person is alone, friends and family could reconcile and invite the person. Even if the invitation is not accepted, it represents valuable support.
If you knew the person that passed well AND you sense they might appreciate it, you could put memories and pictures into a collage. That way, the person doesn’t feel as alone in their sorrow.
There’s no one-size-fits-all recipe.
However, one thing is crucial: Give your grief a place. The sad feelings are there anyway. Therefore, you might as well “invite” them consciously and give them room. You could place the picture of the loved one on the Christmas table. Or perhaps light a unique candle. If you’re with family or friends, you could hold a “story hour” where everyone shares a story about the person who passed.
If you have no idea how to convey your sympathy, just say that. In some situations, there are no "right" words.
You could choose a wording that expresses that you can't find words to show how much you care. Maybe you want to share that Christmas is a celebration of happiness and love and that you get that the person in grief doesn’t feel happy at this time. You could then wish them strengths to commemorate the loss and stillness to cope with their grief.
However, it depends on your relationship to the person and their temperament. Just sending condolences and ignoring Christmas altogether is another option.
Knowing that they’re cared about will help a person in grief, no matter if they're able to show it at that time.
While Alma is on her way back from the store, her phone rings. It’s her mother who tells her that she decided to celebrate Christmas like every other year with the rest of the family and a few friends. Her mom is afraid of the first Christmas without her husband too, but she’s convinced that spending the evening with friends and family in a familiar setting will be helpful for everyone.
Alma cries when she lights a red candle, but her heart feels a little bit lighter, and she even manages to look forward to Christmas the tiniest little bit.
I am in no way trivializing pain.
However, I learned in dark times that more than one feeling can be present at the same time. Therefore, I want to write about love once more.
Grief is a form of love, perhaps with a selfish component. I miss them. With my pain, I express my appreciation for the person I lost and look for new ways to live it.
The grief seems unbearably intense because the love for the beloved person is that strong. This love doesn’t end. Love changes, but it doesn’t stop.
Maybe you can use Christmas time to listen into yourself and experience the love consciously. How does it feel, how do you feel about the loved one?
Perhaps Christmas is the ideal time to celebrate love. For the ones that are with us and for the ones who have gone.
You might be at a place right now where this article doesn’t cut it, and any words you read might sound shallow, stale, and even cynical.
Most importantly: If you feel that the burden is too much for you to carry, reach out for help! Google for the crisis helpline in your country if you’re all alone. Call a friend, accept help.
As at any other time of the year, there are people out there who will support you.
Continue readingIf there's one thing that is sure in life, it's that we age. However, getting older doesn't equal getting more mature.
Recently, Don contacted me. The reason his former employer gave him for firing him is that he is too immature. Don asked if I could help him to "grow up." I admit that his inquiry caught me by surprise. However, I get it.
The behavior that makes us the coolest, most sought-after kid in school, doesn't work later in life.
In relationships and at the workplace, we're looking for mature people. In this article, I share why some people don't want to grow up and how you can recognize if you're immature.
For a hotter partner, short-cuts, a more relaxed city, a better job. " It's difficult for you to commit because it feels like missing out on other opportunities.
Why can't you have everything right now?
You want to be free and feel limited by everyday-duties. Meaning you're often late for appointments and have problems meeting deadlines. And then you don't understand why other people make such a big deal out of it. "I'm here now," might be how you try to trivialize your lapse.
Discipline, routine, and duties are not your thing, and you try to avoid them. That's why your co-workers and managers don't respect you. In their eyes, you're an immature, unreliable dreamer.
Are they right? You love the idea of being an entrepreneur and might start a few startups-but you lack push-through.
You feel drawn to "quick-rich" opportunities. Shiny objects attract you like honey attracts bears. The laptop lifestyle and big money for little work seem so appealing!
Oh, you're a model. Who's your agency?
Instagram.
Oh, you're a famous author. Who's your publisher?
Amazon.
Oh, you're the world's greatest speaker? Where do you speak?
Facebook
You're charming, and that appeals to the girls/boys. However, only for a short time. You don't want to commit. Life is short and full of chicks/chicos, and you can settle down when you're old.
While fleeing the responsibility that comes with a committed relationship, you don't realize that you're incredibly dependent-on your desire to be independent.
Faster, harder, bigger, louder! You need excitement to feel alive. Maybe you resort to drugs, extreme sports, or risky ventures. You might feel attracted by extremist groups or cults. They help you to cover up your dark side that's not kind and charming at all.
Personal, in-depth discussions are not for you. You quickly get bored because you don't know enough about "this stuff" and yourself.
People's initial fascination with you soon turns into the feeling of dealing with a precocious kid.
If you ask children and teens if they want to grow up, they'll nearly always reply: "Yeah, sure!"
For them, maturity and being a grown-up is connected to independence and freedom. McDonald's every day and drinking as much coke as you want. Sleeping in and no homework. Ah, that's heaven.
How often did we hear "you're too young for this" when we were children?
"Grown-up" seems like a synonym for unlimited fun.
Young people could just look at their parents (boring!) to see that their idea of being a grown-up is not accurate. However, they're convinced they will NEVER be anything like their parents (read why we often become exactly like our parents HERE.)
Latest when people get their first job, they realize that being a grown-up also means sacrifices. Most get used to it-and mature.
Especially young men sometimes have a problem growing up. They find the limitations of being a "responsible person" unbearable.
Many then go on strike. They switch jobs and relationships as soon as a problem manifests. They delay growing up by failing tests. That way, they can start all over again.
And they dream. Of a different land, a diverse society, a different world.
The assumption many coaching approaches follow is that the client already possesses the resources to fix their problem. What they're missing is access to these resources.
A human is always part of the whole (person in the system) and the whole (person as the system.)
To help Don "grow up" and coach other clients to their desired goals, we need to understand two things:
You can probably relate: If you listen into yourself, you don't hear one single "voice" on a specific topic or situations. We hear conflicting inner voices, and all of them try to influence our external communication and actions.
Personally, I am a big fan and user of the "The Inner Team" method developed by well-known Hamburg psychologist Friedemann Schulz von Thun.
In short: The Inner Team model assumes that our psyche is not a unified "thing" but a collection of pieces in a polar order.
Meaning someone who lives their life as a greedy person also has a giving part inside of them. Who "loves chaos" carries an orderly component. Most of the time, one of the "voices" is dominant and defines how we live our lives.
If we're immature (and in many other situations,) we have to fix the conflict in our Inner Team and integrate all parts. We have to face the components we exiled.
Most people are unaware that they carry unresolved conflicts with them since their childhood or teenage years. And they resist the idea. "Something that happened 10, 20, 40 years ago doesn't impact me. I'm over it."
Here's the thing:
We never get "over" things like that. Yes, we can decide how we handle a painful experience. However, if we don't face it, the experience will impact us for as long as we live.
In my personal coaching, one of the methods I use helps people to become aware of such inner conflicts.
Here's a little tip on how you can try it. You just need two things: A particular form of awareness and a relevant sentence.
The form of awareness I am referring to is mindfulness.
Most of the time, our focus is outwardly and connected more to our thinking than emotions.
Sit at a quiet place and close your eyes. Direct your attention to your body, your feelings, and your thoughts.
Important: Just observe. You don't need to understand, judge, explain, or change anything. Only observe the physical sensations and your feelings.
Maybe you notice tension in your head, you feel nervous or worried about work.
Keep observing. After a while, you will feel calmer.
And now to the sentence. This exercise helps you to detect and recognize the inner conflicts you might have.
I will give you a set of sentences. The wording is always positive; however, it doesn't mean that you experience them positively.
Here is how it works:
Read the sentence, close your eyes, and say the sentence aloud.
Observe your emotional response. Don't think about the sentence or your response. Be passive, sit still, and wait which reactions you'll experience in the 10 seconds after saying the sentence out loud.
Maybe you will feel tension somewhere in your body. Resistance. Or a feeling of anger, sadness, or emptiness. Perhaps you observe a thought that agrees or disagrees with the sentence.
You can also relax and listen to the audio I made for you. I will say each sentence and leave enough time for you to reflect. There is no wrong or right reaction. Every reaction is welcome.
The following sentence triggers an emotional response in most people:
Did you notice any responses? Relief or tension?
If you were relaxed and mindful, and your responses were neutral (= no change), it indicates that you don't have an inner conflict regarding this topic. If you experienced a positive or negative reaction, you likely found an inner conflict. The more intense the response, the stronger the battle.
The sentences are positive and very general. If you felt resistance towards any of them, it has to do with you. Your brain stored an experience from a past or current relationship.
In addition to my statements above, I feel that a sign of maturity is to know your triggers, meaning the inner buttons other people can press.
For instance, some people react extremely hefty to critical feedback. That's a clear sign of inner conflict. In this particular case, the individual was likely the victim of conditional love.
The intense adverse reaction and "fighting back" is the response of someone that cannot allow that they are imperfect or made a mistake.
Mindfulness can help you to dig deeper. Once you recognized a problem-area, you can look inside (without actively thinking about it. ) Try to "empty" your head and wait what comes to your mind.
Often it's a childhood memory. A situation where you learned that not being perfect or screwing up had unpleasant or even painful consequences. That's when you decided that you will avoid situations like this in the future.
If you're immature, you will find inner conflicts. Facing and removing them will lead to more maturity and better results in your personal and professional life.
Most people need support to achieve that, and that's ok. Asking for help when you need it, is a sign of strengths and maturity.
If you'd like to work with me, go ahead and book a free 15-minute consultation.
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An event throws us off course. It can be something as small as a canceled appointment or something existential, for instance, a dangerous disease, job loss, or the end of our marriage. Some people’s mood changes if their favorite soccer team loses or the weather is dreadful.
Most of you can relate: if something happens that’s different from what we expect or wish for, we react with anger, frustration, sadness, or other painful feelings.
Why is that so? Moreover, what can we do to handle negative events constructively?
It’s not serving us to create additional problems for ourselves by running around frustrated or angry, and it doesn’t change whatever bugs us if we create unnecessary suffering.
It comes down to this:
If I perceive something as negative, I don’t feel as good as if I consider an event to be positive.
A simple example:
For two months I am looking forward to a camping trip. However, I’m disappointed because it’s raining on the day of the trip.
I have a little garden where I grow herbs. I’m happy on a rainy day because it’s great for my plants.
The reality is the same in both cases: a rainy day.
How I perceive this reality decides if I am happy or disappointed.
That applies to many situations. We experience something we don’t like or that even screws up our whole life; and we feel stressed, overwhelmed, and maybe even hopeless.
I run outside. I look to the clouds, clench my fists and scream off the top of my lungs: “you stupid rain, stop right now. I was looking forward to this camping trip, and you destroy everything.”
You probably wouldn’t do that because it’s not helpful. If it helped, the number of people screaming at the clouds would be more substantial. (Well, don’t mind Twitter.)
In my experience, the most constructive way to deal with the fact that something doesn’t work out is to accept reality just the way it is and say something like “okay it’s raining. I was looking forward to this trip, and I am disappointed. However, I cannot change reality.”
As long as we resist accepting the truth, we’re unable to take action and make amendments. We can’t heal if we deny facts, and the negative feelings will multiply.
Now I can think about the best alternatives. I could do something else that I love. Alternatively, it could still go on the trip and hold the rain will stop. In simple situations like this, it’s relatively easy to handle disappointment.
However, there are situations where this is much harder:
In these and other difficult situations, most of us are unable to say, “It is what it is. I’ll accept it.”
Fighting reality and denying it seems like the only option. How could you accept facts so painful it tears you apart?
I think it’s understandable that we have to take a moment to process these and similar events before we can move on.
That can mean that we notice and even allow difficult feelings. It is normal to think: “Why me?” Or “I don’t want that.” It’s also understandable that you try to fight what feels unbearable.
I can relate. It happens to me too. In moments like this, it’s as if I am in a huge soap bubble full of thoughts and try to keep reality out. That doesn’t make me feel any better because reality is just that-the reality.
What helps in difficult or even unsolvable situations is to remind yourself that fighting reality doesn’t help you. If you then can also manage to burst the bubble, the bubble with all of these thoughts that wear you down, you will soon feel better.
Because I mentioned a deadly disease earlier on, I should add that even if you’re in an unresolvable situation, finding your inner peace can help you to eliminate unnecessary suffering.
Bursting the bubble enables you to take action and focus on changing what can be changed.
I made a video for you with a few helpful thoughts. Look at it whenever you feel anger, sadness, or frustration about something you can’t change take over.
It will help you to remind yourself that the bubble isn’t real and that it doesn’t serve you to fight reality.
Also, check out our powerful Project Inner Peace 10-week training. Changing your thougths is not an easy task and most people need support and a systematic learning approach to achieve that goal.
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Emotional maturity and stability have nothing to do with your biological age. Some are emotionally mature at a very young age, others never are. The term describes people that are centered, not self-centered. Someone with a grounded character, emotional intelligence, self-confidence and often (but not necessarily) a fair share of life experience.The 8 signs of emotional maturity show you how far you have come and where you still have the potential for improvement.
After a long day, I went to LinkedIn to look at my notifications. I read a few comments and replied to them. After a few minutes, I noticed that I felt exhausted and drained. From what? Responding to a few comments? I removed myself from the conversation. Then I realized that I have not shared tips how to deal with toxic people with you in at least two years.
Back in 1964, a court had to decide if the love-scene in a movie is pornography. The judge came to the following conclusion:
"I know pornography when I see it."
It's the same with toxic people. They are difficult to describe; they appear in too many shades and forms. But you recognize soon if you're dealing with an abusive person.
Below you find practical tips that help you deal with situations that are stressful and exhausting. But first let me ask:
Is it judgemental, overly simplifying and morally acceptable to describe someone as toxic?
And isn't everyone the product of his circumstances, upbringing, culture and social environment? Should we hold people responsible for the way they make us feel and their actions? Doesn't every person deserve our respect and love?
Here is my take on this: Yes and no. Yes, we should respect and love everyone and try to help as many people as we can. And: No. Self-preservation is our responsibility. It's ok to call a bread a bread. If someone acts immoral, destructive, anti-social or harmful, we should be able to describe how that makes us feel.
Luckily, there are few people who are toxic. How can you tell if you met one?
I'm not able to describe that. I'd have to go with the judge: "You know one if you meet one." It's easier to describe how a toxic person makes you feel.
You might feel stained, drained, abused, exhausted as if someone sucked the energy out of you. Betrayed or taken advantage of. Yes, as if you have been exposed to toxins.
We all show behavior listed in the video. The difference is if we display the behavior occasionally or if it's our "normal."
Nice people can turn toxic too when they experience a traumatic situation. For instance, if they get dumped, fired or if a loved one dies.
We already spoke about one problem. They are not always easy to detect. You can make someone feel horrible with kind (manipulative) words. "I'm sure you forgot to do this or that for me even though you know how much pain that causes me."
Sure, as soon as you realize that you are dealing with a toxic person, you can avoid them and remove them from your life.
Now let's talk about the real reason many people cannot distance themselves from toxic people.
If you have a low feeling of self-worth or are not self-confident, it will be hard for to get away from the toxicity.
Abusive people masterfully manipulate you into believing YOU are the problem and play your insecurities.
Sometimes, removing toxic people is difficult or even impossible. It might be your boss, your mother-in-law or someone it's hard to get away from in the short term.
In that case: Don't take it personal.
I know, that's easier said than done. Try to keep your cool. Toxic people feed on your emotions and emotional reactions. They are like energy vampires that suck you dry if you allow it.
When someone attacks us, we often feel the need for revenge. But that will just escalate the situation to a real problem. It's one reason so many people end up in court.
Toxic people often fire with the big guns. The ammunition is emotion.
They might insult you, hurt you, wrongly accuse you... they are often masters of emotional blackmail.
It's not always someone you have a relationship with. Especially in the online world, they chose their hosts seemingly randomly - don't blame yourself. It's difficult, but try to relax and let it go unless it harms your relationships or business and you need to act. If you analyze what's being said, it's easier to distance yourself from the things that have only been said to hurt you.
It might feel unfair - but the sooner you starve them, the sooner will they switch their "host."
It's important to speak clearly and factually with toxic people. Leave your interpretations and emotions out. Tell the toxic person where you draw the line and what the consequences are if they cross it again.
Whatever emotions you feel, stick to just the facts and consequences.
Don't think just because you like peace and harmony, the toxic person feel the same way.
Toxic people are often looking for fights and conflicts. If you assume that they are interesting in solving the problem, you are most often wrong and your misjudgement will make you act wrong.
It's a waste of your energy. The natural reaction is to think if only they understood how much they hurt you, they would change their behavior.
But they won't. They are not open to listen and don't care about your point of view or how they make you feel.
Did they have a difficult childhood? Perhaps something bad happened to them? Before you know you'll make excuses for them. They are hurting you. They are attacking you. They ABUSE you.
I had a difficult childhood and an abusive father. So did many of my friends, acquaintances and clients. But they don't go around and hurt other people.
If you are a kind person, the mindset of a toxic person is too different from yours for you to understand. "Why is he doing this?" - questions like this only increase your suffering. And even if you found an explanation (I am not saying you will).... what difference does it make?
Perhaps they are just bored and want to distract themselves from their own misery.
Preserve your energy for protecting yourself.
The nasty and frustrating part of it is that stalkers and toxic people can indeed force us to waste brain energy on them.
Often we just react. He does this; I call the police. He calls his lawyer; I call my lawyer.
We become very predictable when we're in the state of reacting. But that's the playground of manipulative people and a game we cannot win. They are better at that. It's who they are.
Try to become pro-active. And keep focusing your energy on removing yourself from the toxic person.
I know it's frustrating that you're forced to think about questions like
Keep your cool. You'll find mindfulness and meditation exercises on this site.
Whatever you do: Don't get emotional. Don't feed it.
Dealing with toxic people is horrible. It's exhausting, frustrating, feels highly unfair and often there seems no end in sight.
You might get furious if you lose health, money, friends, sleep and whatever other negative consequences abuse has.
As I mentioned before, toxic people are superb at gas-lighting. You might wonder if YOU are the problem. If it's you who's at fault and not your attacker.
Seek the advice of "good" people. They can help to get you back in the zone of rationality and give you honest feedback on whether you are or are not "the problem."
If it's a fight that involves people (like children) or possessions, seek professional help as soon as possible. If you wait for too long, you might not be able to afford it anymore or be a mental wrack.
Also make sure you keep track and diary of anything that can serve as evidence if need be.
When dealing with toxic people, seek as much support as you can get and surround yourself with as many positive people as you can find.
You might feel sorry for the abusive person. Rightfully so as they are living a miserable live. And perhaps something bad happened to them.
It speaks for you if you are a kind, compassionate person. But you cannot afford this right now.
It's terrible to be a prisoner of your own negativity and the need to destruct. Toxic people are great at making excuses and explaining the unexplainable.
If you feel guilty for executing your right to self-preservation, you'll be wax in the hands of the abusive person. A toxic person will recognize that as weakness and take advantage.
Solve the problem first and remove the toxic person. You can feel sorry for them later.
Are you healthy? Do you live a fulfilled life? Are your relationships healthy and respectful? And how about your job? Are you doing it out of love or out of fear? Have you ever thought about it?In life, we make decisions all the time. Often we find it difficult and our head is spinning:
