Labeling people is far too easy. It’s a lazy way to give oneself permission to dismiss another person. Feeling triggered? Let’s talk about it.
It’s best to avoid labeling people, because inevitably it’s a sign you’re being lazy. We use labels to sort people into categories so we have a nice and tidy explanation for everything we encounter in the world. It’s those pesky Unusuals who muck up our pretty little worldviews.
Like labeling someone toxic. I challenge you to ask yourself: how do I know this person is actually toxic? What other possible interpretations are possible?
Certainly, there are people in life who will drain you of energy, contentment, and peace if you let them.
It is also plausible that the people we label “toxic” represent truths about ourselves which we are not willing to confront. So we slap a label on them which allows us to ignore the implications of their existence.
By all means guard your heart and mind and energy closely like a guard on a watchtower. Just be self-aware enough to have examined why they are a drain on you in the first place. Is it them? Or could it be you?
There’s always something new to learn if we are willing.
