Staying away from toxic people and situations is an extremely important element of self-care. Coming into contact with people who treat others negatively and even cruelly, often the best response is simply to get out of harm’s way.
Among the key delivery systems for toxicity are projections which are usually given in the form of “You are . . .”
How aware are you of projections – either giving them or receiving them? We learn projecting at an early age; and the effects can be debilitating. Taking care of yourself means watching for and refusing to accept projections.
Think. Is there anyone in your life who projects toxic thoughts onto you? Projecting is not the same as expressing feelings, although the two seem almost identical. When projecting, one is asserting what is true for another; and, if done in a damaging way, the results can be very difficult to deal with.