Emotional Toxins

Toxins are harmful. Ingesting them can require medical attention at best. At worst, they can lead to long-term illness or death. Knowing the dangers associated with toxins deters us from ingesting them, but we aren't as careful with the emotional toxins that we allow to seep into our lives.

There was a time when I willingly fluctuated between living peacefully and tiptoeing in turmoil. My assumption was that the peace would minimize the pain, but it was the pain that infiltrated the peace. It wasn't enough to only give up my peace in increments—only on holidays or special occasions. If I genuinely wanted to live in peace, I had to stop self-administering the emotional toxins completely. Living in peace required me to close the door on sources of anxiety and unease. It was not safe at any level or interval nor worth the risk to dabble in toxicity. In order to obtain peace of mind, I had to sever all ties with emotional toxins.

Nudging up to emotional toxins is gambling with your peace of your mind. Eventually, toxicity will demand a hefty payment of clarity, health, stability, positive relationships, balance, and ultimately, self-love. Consider the sources of anxiety and unease in your life. How much of it is a result of normal adult responsibility and life events vs. ill-advised decisions, habitual behavior, guilt, and fear of the unknown? Peace of mind is priceless, but it isn't free. Are you willing to give up the emotional toxins in your life in order to pursue it?