You don’t need closure from toxic people

At some point most of us will find ourselves in a “toxic” relationship — whether at home, work, or with our family or friends. They can be very difficult to let go of, because we usually only accept toxic behavior and patterns in relationships from people we have some meaningful connection with. After all, we wouldn’t allow total strangers or distant acquaintances to take liberties with our time and energy, or continue behaviors towards us we don’t like even after we have asked them to stop or change, right?

Of course not.

Family, friends, and our bosses at work, on the other hand? We routinely let them walk all over us for the sake of preserving a relationship we have decided is more important than the reality of our personal well-being. Whether because we are resolutely trying to see the good in our friends, keep the peace with our family, or keep our jobs at work, it’s very easy to talk ourselves into staying in a relationship — and easy to come back for more even after we walk away.

Let’s back up for a minute. What is a toxic relationship, anyway? What defines a toxic relationship will be a little different for everyone, but generally it means that someone in your personal or professional circle is disregarding, violating, or exploiting your core values, wants, and needs. Some examples include a parent or sibling…