Relationships can be a lot like sailing on a stormy sea. Sometimes you navigate smoothly, but other times, you’re caught in a tempest that threatens to sink your ship. We’ve all found ourselves in unhealthy relationship, sometimes more than once.
Here’s some steps on how to identify and deal with those toxic relationships if you’ve found yourself in your first one, or if you’ve continued to find yourself in more than one, and want to finally break that pattern for good.
1. The Lighthouse of Self-Awareness
The first step in recognizing a toxic relationship is looking in the mirror. Self-awareness is your lighthouse in the dark night of toxic connections.
Ask yourself some tough questions: Are you happy in this relationship? Do you feel drained, unappreciated, or unheard?
If the answers lean toward the negative rather than the positive, it’s time to acknowledge the red flags and address if you want to stay in this relationship or not.
2. The Raging Storm of Codependency
Codependency is like a raging storm that can capsize even the sturdiest of ships. It’s when you become overly reliant on someone else for your happiness and self-worth. You might feel like you’re lost at sea without them, but remember, you’re your own captain.
