How do you know you’re in a toxic relationship?

Do you feel the power draining out of you? Do see unhealthy behavior and choose to ignore it?

Do you tell yourself you’re going to do it differently or a take a stand for yourself and end up not following through but caving in to demands or empty promises that you hear over and over again?

Toxic relationships are addictive. There is something the other person is giving you that you are craving and unable to give to yourself. See if there was a pattern of intermittent attention or neglect from your past that is playing out.

Love addiction is believing that love and abundance is over there in the other person. The truth is you have the power to create joyful love and abundance within you. It takes support, courage and the will to heal the places within that are empty and craving love and attention from another outside yourself.

You can see life for you or against you, others as a threat or welcoming. Instead of believing yourself to be a victim know that you are a powerful force and have the capacity to generate love and purpose – it’s up to you, it’s your choice.

There are bad people out there claiming to have everything it takes to make you happy they are flattering and charming. They picked you not because you are weak or easily manipulated but because you are smart, successful and strong.

When you finally figure it out and find the courage to leave, you feel defeated and obsess about what went wrong, maybe even how to get them back, make them change or see the errors of their ways… This is a futile effort and will only make you obsess more and fall deeper into despair.

Focus on yourself and ask if there are places or gaps where you have healing to do. Here are three questions to ask yourself:

  1. What purpose did they have for showing up in my life?
  2. Where’s the opportunity to grow?
  3. What did I learn?

Focus on your inner work and not the outer situation, or the other person.