Friday, December 14, 2007

Toxic people- how do you deal.....

You know we all have to deal with people whose only mission in life seems to be to start 'something'. I know yall know what I am talking about. Some people live and breathe to start 'something' they are not happy unless they are causing chaos in somebody's life. Unfortunately in the AA community, this seems to be par for the course. Too many people male, and female have a crabs in the barrel mentality. I am convinced this is why we as a people are not much further along. Too many in the BC are so busy trying to hold the next person back they have no energy with which to ameliorate their own pathetic lives. There are just too many folks who specialize in acrimony, maligning, and maliciousness. And far too many people who will take something insignificant and turn it into a major crisis. People with this preoccupation are usually big losers for one very significant reason. You cannot be great by majoring in the minors! In other words, if your already small mind is focused on how you can bring turmoil, dissension and discord to someone else, not only will it be visited upon you, but you will have little reasoning power left, with which to effect betterment and enhanced conditions in your own life, and that of your progeny.
The thing that is most palpable about these people is that they usually have such small insignificant lives, you almost have to pity them. I truly believe that the source of power for the Japanese and many other Nationalities, is their ability to unite and form active coalitions, for the betterment of their entire race./group I have never understood why so many AA feel the opposing need to tear each other down instead of working together for the benefit of all. This has long been our greatest weakness, and anyone with half an eye can see it. I truly believe that if the average AA were given the chance to go for a million dollars, or stop his fellow comrade from getting a million dollars, I believe most would actually lose their million trying to stop their 'fellow man' from getting their own million. Truly we are a covetous, envious, and mean spirited people.

case in point: A girl at work told me that she was in Mc donalds, and she looked in a woman's direction (BW) and this ignorant sista went berserk and offered her out, because 'she did not appreciate being stared at' This is just foolishness! What kind of loser wants to fight because someone glances at them! Then when she refused to fight her, the woman stuck her finger in her face and called her everything but a child of God. All because someone looked in her direction! Black people, as long as we are focused on malice and avarice, and malignity we shall reap what we sow.
ten fold.
case in point 2. My cousin is an extremely beautiful girl who very much resembles Beounce.(sp?)She cannot go anywhere without females trying to fight her, jump her, or spread malicious rumors about her. She also has trouble with DBRBM, because she will not give her number or be bothered with them in any respect. This has caused countless confrontations and problems for her to the point that she sometimes just 'hides' in the house, because BP are angry at her for being extremely attractive. How ridiculous is that?
case in point 3. Recently some people had a problem with having their picture on my blog. (unbeknownst to me) instead of simply dropping me a 30 second email and asking me to take it down, they decided to try to cause all manner of problems by bitching and moaning all over the net to everyone except me. In a malicious, infantile, and silly attempt to cause me as many problems as they possibly could. (Even though everybody knows unless you have a copywright, all material submitted to the internet becomes part of the public venue) Still, a 30 second email would have had it down that same day! This is what I mean about small minded, toxic people. I would love to hear your suggestions of how you deal with them. I always try to avoid the small minded, because I know their accomplishments (or lack thereof ) will prove them for what they really are. This is exactly why we are not further along in so many areas, Too many in the BC are so busy trying to undermine, demonize and cause undue problems for our fellow comrade, they find their own lives in shambles (most certainly deserved).
My late grandmother always said 'Pray for the small minded-usually their lives are equitable to their spirits' My advice to everyone dealing with people of this sort is to avoid, ignore, and be better than them. But I would very much like to hear how you all handle situations/people of this magnitude.

8 Comments:

At Friday, December 14, 2007 , Blogger grant said...

Sara:

I was born an raised in Kansas, and spent many summers on my aunt and uncle's farm. We had a saying for being in the stock pens, "If you don't want to step IN it, step OVER it." I think your estimation is correct, just stay away from those types of people, but if circumstances bring you in contact with them, ignore them and move along because you can never win with folks like that.

As far as your other point goes, envy and jealousy are common to all human beings and, also as you pointed out, very, very destructive and unproductive.

 
At Friday, December 14, 2007 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good words Grant - however the reality is that toxic people are every where - which makes stepping over or around the situation a tad tricky.

The tactic that seems to work with this appears to be two fold. Accept that this is a reality - it is real, it is not a product of paranoia or over sensitivity. Accept that this happens through no fault of the target - yes a person can be going about life and folks jump to the wrong conclusion. It is about the attackers toxic persons weakness - it is their problem. Refuse to accept ownership of that - the receiver did not cause the problem, is not part of the problem and has no responsibility for solving it - only for limiting to the fullest extent possible the impact on their lives. It is not possible to reason with toxic people - do not waste the time energy or resources. Walk away and live your life - do not give them the power to change how you live your life.

1) Accept that the problem is not yours and you have no stake in the outcome - OTHER THAN YOUR SAFETY AND WELL BEING. Folks who are sprung have their own logic to how and why and there is no way to guess what set them off. It does not matter what matters is your safety - physical, mental, psychological, spiritual safety.

2) Refuse to engage in anyway or be drawn in - never explain


3) Remove yourself from the situation to a place of safety asap. If need be have a plan of action - a cell phone contact - phone a friend or 911 on speed dial - your safety is paramount. All that matters is your safety and well being - make that your mantra


4) Self nurture and self care i.e. recognize that you have been blessed by whatever higher power your spiritual or personal belief system acknowledges. This is to prevent the negativity from seeping into your psyche. All that matters your health, safety and well being


Being thankful and grateful for blessing received creates a feeling of peace and opens you up for additional prosperity and washes away the negativity.

This positive energy is like turning on the lights making the bugs scatter. Think of this as taking a bath after being out in the yard it washes away the negativity. Negative toxic people leave traces in their wake - wash it off asap.

Refuse to surrender your joy - it may not be possible to avoid toxic people - but you can control whether or not you retain your joy and sense of well being - it takes work and effort but it is worth it. Remembering this makes it easier and takes back the control. It's simple either the negative toxic people control the situation or you control how you respond.

V/r


Clarice

 
At Saturday, December 15, 2007 , Blogger Taylor-Sara said...

Clarice that was a fantastic answer! And you are so right...I think this will help alot of readers having to deal with ignorant people in their day to day interactions.

 
At Saturday, December 15, 2007 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sara said...
Too many people male, and female have a crabs in the barrel mentality...


I find that many,many black people think and operate from a mindset of lack. They're carrying the remants of slavery when we had very little to call our own and have internalized the message from whites that we are supposed to have nothing. This is why some are infuriated when they see others with more beauty, health, money, possessions, education, whatever. They truly cannot fathom someone having more than the bare minimum. Life is always a struggle, always trying to scrape by, always on the hustle.

 
At Saturday, December 15, 2007 , Blogger Taylor-Sara said...

Anon. I truly apologize for accidentally deleting your post, and I invite you to come back and respond. I would like to know why you would come here talking about how IR are unrealistic and how you do not believe in them. Then why are you on this site? You pretty much have to be looking for this site to find it!

 
At Saturday, December 15, 2007 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sara I've had to apply this anti-toxic people message to more than one person in my life. In my case, it doesn't matter if they are family or not, I will cut them off. I cut my parent off because they are now divorced and both extremely toxic. I decided I couldn't deal with them. My mother was an emotionally abusive,mentally abusive, lying and cheating harpie. My father was a manipulative, sneaky philanderer. My childhood was one of psychological warfare. They both dragged me into the middle of their drama starting at age 5. I haven't spoken to my father in over 14 years and I haven't spoken to my mother in 8. My life is much better for it. They never gave any consideration to anyone besides themselves. They were middle class people with lower class values. If I can cut off my supposed family, I can cut off anybody. The moment I sense someone is toxic, I detach and remove myself. I cannot get caught up in someone else's mess. Because of being raised around toxic people, I am better able to spot them now. These people a parasitic and will leech off of you as much as possible. I spent my entire childhood being drained by these type of people under my very own roof and I refuse to spend my adulthood the same way because I now have the power to control it. Since I made the decision to cut the snakes head off, my life has been better, albeit alot more of a struggle because of the lack of a support system. I still have my best friend and a few other acquaintances from my past but, for the most part,I'm on my own and for the past 8 years struggles and all, my life has been a slice of heaven. I'm getting myself where I need to be in life. I'm getting ready to go back to school, I'm working on my baggage so as not to drag some great guy through the mud and muck. I don't want my mate paying for sins he never committed. I want to be the opposite of what I grew up with. I want to be a fantastic, out of this world mate and parent. Doesn't mean I want to be perfect, I just want to give my child and mate everything I never had. Needless to say, I'm still working on myself and that work will never end.

 
At Monday, December 17, 2007 , Blogger Miriam said...

I commend anyone to distances themselves from toxic people. There is nothing but toxicity to be had.

Clarice pretty much covered everything! I especially agree with "refuse to surrender your joy"

 
At Tuesday, December 18, 2007 , Anonymous Anonymous said...

@ gettingright: i agree with you 100% and I know the type of people you're referring to. For e.g. I had a "best" friend, and she tried to commit suicide a couple of years ago. guess who was there to rush her to the hospital when her parent's didn't even want to take her? you guessed it, I dropped EVERYTHING and sped to her place to take her. Do we talk now? NOPE. She cut me off (me and her boyfriend didn't get along, she was very toxic, very needy, some times I would drive her in the middle of the night to her boy.f's house, I did SO MUCH for this girl) because she's one of those sheltered little beings where mommy and daddy do everything for her. Now you would think after saving someone's life they would be grateful to you right? Nope..lol. They always say things like 'keep family close', and no one will help you more than your family. I say bullocks to that (depending on the situation) LOL! Family has done nothing but dissappoint me and continue to ask (I'm speaking from my experience) me for money while I pay for school myself, work 3 jobs, volunteer, etc. etc. Its a neverending cycle and they are the root cause of a lot of my stress. I basically became a victim of some unfortuante circumstances wherein I had to support my brothers and parents. My parents haven't given me a DIME in the past 4 years. In fact, they owe me over $5000. I've realized that no one can help yourself but YOU. Not the government, not your friends, not even your family. and I will NEVER depend on a man to support me.

I'm 22 and right now I'm @ the point where I'm finishing up University and moving to Berlin next year to pursue my dreams, become fluent in German, work in Switzerland for the UN and I'm paying for it ALL MYSELF. My theory is: "out of sight, out of mind". I've cut off/deleted sooo many people from my phone and I don't waste time on other people. Its sad that at my age I've become so cyncial, but if you don't become cynical/carry a realist mindset, you're bound to get hurt. I learned it the hard way. The funny and ironic thing I've found after reading a lot of visualization books is that people are scared and envious of others because they can't find the power within themselves to do better. Then they want to tear you down and never give you support when you actually make it. I get asked ALL the time, why, are you a black (btw I'm African Canadian), young female going to Germany? Why German? LOL!!! To them I say WHY NOT! Maybe because...I don't want to be involved with damaged men (been there done that, with black men nevertheless who lied to me and I've dealt with black men who had kids and were married and I didn't find out until much later)..Maybe because I want to be multilingual? Maybe because I want to expand my horizons, break the glass ceiling on the international scene? Maybe because I'm used to to doing things differently (like being on time LOL) and opening my mind/eyes to new experiences? I shocked people when I went to Berlin earlier this year and did an internship @ a company for a month, got course credit, a reference letter, and a chance to get away from it all. Black people, we have a looong way to go. Speaking from a Canadian perspective, there is strife within the African Canadian community, the Carribbean Canadian community, and the black ones born in Canada. I'm sure its like that in the States, even moreso down there...Sorry for the long post, although I have an exam tomorrow I just wanted to vent lol and btw I LOVE THIS BLOG!! Keep up the excellent work Sara :)

 

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home