Toxic People - Avoid like Plague

What is it with toxic people?

Sometimes I wonder if they know what they're doing, but I've come to a recent conclusion that perhaps they really don't. Perhaps they are so mired in their own morass of misery or self-loathing that they have no idea the noxious muck radiating from every word, every look; their very presence. Yes, even nice people are toxic. But I can see through the veneer, oh yes - boy can I ever.

I've come across a few toxic people lately. For the most part, I don't think they're evil. I don't even think they are necessarily mean. But I do think that the unfortunate layers of life experience that have created who they are will more than likely resign them to a life-sentence of toxicity, especially in older toxics.

That is, unless they miraculously begin to sniff their own stink.

It does happen. Lord knows, we all have toxic moments and I've had plenty. I'm far from perfect but at least I also have a healthy dose of self-awareness and self-effacement. I can see when I'm bringing others down, manipulating, whinging too much, lurking in intolerance, making snickety asides, wallowing in negativity, energy-sapping, blaming, puffing myself full of self-righteousness, asserting power, attempting to dominate or debase or embarrass or make someone deliberatebly uncomfortable, seeking a confrontation or simply bathing self-indulgently in a vicious green glow.

When this happens, I see it, and I pull myself up on it, and I make changes.

Many, however, don't.

Alas, like kryptonite, there's often not much we can do about toxicity in the human species. Mainly because it's something that only the perpetrator can self-realise and self-heal. You cannot tell a toxic they are stinking like all things toxic, no no - unless you want to experience the fallout.

Me - life is too beautiful to experience any kind of fallout. The older I get, the more I seek out beauty, simplicity, honesty, openness and purity. But how do I avoid ugliness, complications, falsity, closemindedness and nastiness? I do what most toxic-people books and websites advise you to do.

Steer clear.

Smile and move on. Do not let the vampire suck. Do not fall prey to the scratchy comments. Do not LISTEN - for anything the toxic says or does is so steeped in contaminated and venomous falsity, it has not an ounce of power.

Hold your head hight, flick your super cape and soar onward and upwards. This is the only place toxics cannot follow.

I wish you luck.