Dirty Feet: Relationship Toxicty

  • Christine Vander Wielen, M.S.W., LCSW
  • Series: Dear Rosa

I was sharing some family struggles with a dear friend. She quietly pointed out the relationship was toxic to me. When we hear “toxic”, we usually think of something outside of us.

To overcome the relationship toxicity, I had to construct physical and emotional boundaries between me and the other person. Although I could not change the other person (no matter how much I wanted to), I could only change my response.

As Mahatma Gandhi commented, “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.” We can consciously decide to not tolerate relationship toxicity.

Wisdom